The Election Commission (EC) stated that although it is legally possible to extend the tenure of Local Government (LG) bodies through the adoption of an Act without holding the LG Elections, it is however not ethical.

A private Member motion by Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Government Parliamentarian Jayantha Ketagoda, seeking to empower the Minister of LG to extend the tenure of LG bodies without Elections, was tabled in the Parliament on Wednesday (5).

Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (6), the Commissioner General of Elections Saman Sri Ratnayake said that there is a legal possibility to extend the tenure of LG bodies through the passage of an Act, but that it is not ethical to do so. "We don’t believe that this Bill would go that far. When the people have given the power to LG members and councilors for only four years, it is not ethical to extend their tenures in this manner. Some former LG members and councilors are even candidates who have submitted nominations for the LG Elections."

When there were reports to the effect that the Government was preparing to cancel the nominations called for the LG Elections, 2023, by passing a resolution in the Parliament, the then EC Chairman, attorney Nimal G. Punchihewa said that it was not possible to cancel the nominations in that way, and that for that purpose, a Bill should be prepared and passed by following due procedures including the receipt of the Supreme Court's determination.

Responding to Ketagoda’s motion, several Opposition MPs including the Opposition and Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Leader Sajith Premadasa and SJB MP Dr. Harsha de Silva, opposed and criticised the Government’s efforts to postpone the LG Elections and recall the former LG institutions’ elected members and councilors. The Speaker of the Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana informed them that if there is any opposition to the Bill, it could be presented during the relevant debate.