- Elpitiya PS excluded
- Nominations from 18-21 January
- Poll date and campaigning period to be declared after nominations end
The Election Commission (EC) yesterday (4) published a notice calling for
nominations for the Local Government (LG) polls 2023, in 340 LG authorities,
while the poll for the Elpitiya Pradeshiya Sabha (PS) in the Galle District will not be
held. According to the notice calling for nominations, the nomination forms should be handed over from 18-21 January to the relevant District Secretary. The deposits
for the nominations would be accepted from yesterday to 20 January. Political
parties will have to pay a deposit of Rs. 1,500 for each candidate, while
independent groups will have to pay a deposit of Rs. 5,000 per candidate.
The EC will also accept applications for postal voting for the upcoming election
from today (5) to 23 January.
Speaking to The Morning, Commissioner General of Elections Saman Sri Ratnayake
yesterday said that the candidates are expected to follow the rules and
regulations included in the Local Authorities Elections (Amendment) Act, No. 16 of
2017.
“The entire set of rules and regulations for the contestants have been mentioned
in this law. We request them to follow this law,” he added.
He also noted that the media is advised to follow the guidelines scheduled to be
published in the relevant gazette by the EC today.
“We have now done all the preparations in regard to the nominations. Future
preparations will be done accordingly.”
He also said that once the nominations are over, a decision on the election date
will be declared and the campaigning period will be announced.
Accordingly, nominations for the LG poll have been announced as laid down in
Section 26 of the said Act, and according to which nominations to elect mayors,
deputy mayors, chairpersons, deputy chairpersons, and members will be
accepted.
The said 340 LG authorities include 29 Municipal Councils, 36 Urban Councils, and
275 PSs.
Also, through an extraordinary gazette notification number 23/1244 published on
29 December 2022, the deposits and nominations-related details concerning
female candidates have been furnished.
Meanwhile, the EC has already printed the nomination forms in connection with
the upcoming LG poll and distributed them to the relevant Returning Officers, in
order to be obtained by the candidates once the nominations are called.
Ratnayake said on Tuesday (3) that a notice calling for the nominations will be
published at all 340 LG authorities once the date is announced.
“Our Returning Officers would paste these notices at the offices of each LG
authority. This notice will include the announcement of the nominations, the
period when the nominations would be accepted, at which place they would be
accepted, the deposit amounts, and the number of candidates for each LG
authority.”
He said that the election may be scheduled somewhere towards the end of
February, or the first week of March.
Ratnayake earlier added that the EC is looking to purchase electoral or indelible
ink (purple ink) from either India or South Korea after comparing the rates, and
after the allocations are made for the LG poll.
Earlier, EC Chairman Attorney Nimal Punchihewa said that the LG poll should be
held before 20 March.