Motion filed in petition against the holding of LG polls 

A motion has been filed by lawyers representing retired Army Colonel, W.M.R. Wijesundera requesting that the writ petition filed by him on the Local Government polls be taken up prior to the holding of the postal vote. 

The motion was filed on Monday before the Supreme Court. On 9 February the Supreme Court postponed the consideration of a writ petition filed by Wijesundara against the holding of Local Government elections to 23 February. 

President’s Counsel Saliya Pieris appearing for the Election Commission raised preliminary objections against the maintainability of the petition on three grounds. 

However, it has been stated in the motion that the postal poll is scheduled to be held on 22 February and has therefore requested that the relevant petition be fixed on either the 17, 20 or 21 of this month for further consideration.

The petition was filed by Wijesundera in January on the basis that he was informed by the Election Commission of Sri Lanka (EC) that the election can only be funded through Government revenue or by obtaining a loan for the purpose. 

The petitioner questioned the benefit to the public and the country by holding a vote at this juncture. The Election Commission, including its Chairman Nimal G. Punchihewa, the Prime Minister, the Secretary of the Ministry of Finance and the Attorney General have been named as the respondents. 

The petitioner in his petition has demanded that a writ order be issued to the respondents preventing the holding of a Local Government Election and to impose time-appropriate interim injunctions until the conclusion of the trial.