COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sumedha Aruna Shantha from the Samagi Jana Balawegaya was elected as the new Mayor of Kurunegala by a majority vote.

Sumedha Aruna Shantha and the Opposition Leader of the Kurunegala Municipal Council Wijayananda Wedisinghe contested for the post of Mayor.

Sumedha Aruna Shantha secured 10 votes, while Wijayananda Wedisinghe only obtained 6 votes.

A new mayor was elected after Former Kurunegala Mayor Thushara Sanjeeva Witharana was removed from his post by North Western Province Governor Admiral of the Fleet Wasantha Karannagoda in an Extraordinary Gazette.

The Gazette stated that the position of the Mayor of the Kurunegala Municipal Council would be considered as vacant with effect from December 31, 2022.

The Governor had cited the defeat of the Kurunegala Municipal Council Budget for 2023 as the reason for the dismissal. 

The Governor had made the above announcements as per the powers vested on him by the Municipal Council Ordinance and the Provincial Council (Incidental Provisions) Act.

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