• Opposition parties agree to defeat Govt. attempt to postpone LG vote
• Parties will individually and collectively work to ensure polls are held as scheduled
• JVP also agrees to sign MoU at the eleventh hour

President Ranil Wickremesinghe

Parties and organisations representing the country’s Opposition have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to work together against the Government’s alleged attempt to further delay local Government elections. 

The recent announcement by President Ranil Wickremesinghe of the need to implement electoral reforms prior to holding polls has been slammed by Opposition parties. They have accused the Government of attempting to put off an election in the guise of implementing reforms in the polling system as it is unable to face an election at this juncture due to high disapproval rates among the public. 

The signing of the MoU was held at the Parliament yesterday with the participation of Opposition party leaders and members based on a collective decision taken at an earlier date to oppose any moves to postpone the local Government elections. 

The signing was organised by the Freedom People’s Congress, a breakaway group from the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna. According to the agreement, it was decided that parties would oppose any attempt by the Government to delay elections both individually and collectively.

Programs to educate the public will also be conducted by the parties of the Opposition. It also added that the parties have agreed to take legal action against the delay of elections and to defeat any proposal to delay polls in Parliament.

All Opposition parties as well as the Front Line Socialist Party signed the MoU while the Opposition leader’s office said the National People’s Power party led by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna has also informed of its decision to sign the document. 

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