Maharagama Urban Council members who do not belong to Maharagama...

COLOMBO (News1st) - The Ministry of Provincial Councils and Local Government s

tates

that legal action can be initiated on the matter of candidates from the Independent group which emerged victorious at the Maharagama Urban Council election, not being residents of the Council's jurisdiction.

According to

Gayani Premathilaka, Legal Officer at the Ministry, any individual who does not meet the qualifications under the local government elections ordinance, cannot become a council member. The independent group received the support of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna as the SLPP's nominations list was rejected. However, it has been noted that with the exception of two individuals, all the other candidates on the Independent Group's list, are residents of other parts of the country. Twenty of them are residents of Divulapitiya and Badalgama in the Gampaha district while three of them are residents of Wellawatta. Three of the individuals on the list are above the age of 80, while one of them is terminally ill. News1st also made inquiries from the Elections Commission regarding this conundrum. The Commission noted that since court must provide a decision on the matter, there are no steps that can be taken by the commission.