The Elections Commission has decided to hold discussions with independent groups with regard to issues that have risen in conducting the upcoming local government elections.

 Chairman, Mahinda Deshapriya, said an additional Elections Commissioner hoped to take part in the discussions.

He further added, the discussions were to be held with the leaders of independent groups of the Western Province, Southern Province, Puttalam, Kandy, Anuradhapura, Batticaloa and Vavuniya.

The discussions are scheduled to take place in Colombo on January 18, in Kandy on January 19 and in Vavuniya and Batticaloa on January 20, in Sinhala and Tamil languages.