Control of LG bodies must remain under public representatives even after term lapse: SLPP

Saturday, 18 March 2023 01:08 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Says control being transferred to officials would affect the sovereignty of the people
Claims party is prepared to take legal action to ensure control stays with elected public representatives
Assures party’s national organiser Basil Rajapaksa is favourable to the holding of LG polls and believes it must go ahead

The ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) says the control of local Government bodies must remain under existing public representatives even after the lapse of their term at midnight on 19 March. The sentiment was expressed by leaders of the party at a meeting held with its local Government heads yesterday under the leadership of SLPP National Organiser Basil Rajapaksa at the party headquarters in Nelum Mawatha.

Addressing the media following the meeting, SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa said the party is of the stance that existing members must continue to control the local Government bodies instead of other officials appointed to carry out the relevant tasks. Rajapaksa said if the lapse of the term results in the control of the public bodies being transferred to unelected officials it would affect the sovereignty of the people. He said therefore the party during the meeting discussed how it would face such an eventuality.

According to SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam, the party will take necessary steps to ensure the control of the local Government institutions does not go to the hands of unelected persons. He said that in a Supreme Court judgement, it was held that local Government institutions have been set up to be controlled by public representatives and therefore their governance by an unelected official would violate the rights of the people. “If the need arises, we will take necessary legal steps in this regard,” he said. According to Kariyawasam, Basil Rajapaksa is also of the opinion that local Government elections must go ahead.