CaFFE wants polls in two Mullaitivu LG bodies

The Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) yesterday urged Provincial Councils and Local Government Minister Faiszer Musthapha to hold urgent local government elections for two institutions in Mullaitivu to enable political parties to register. 

Issuing a letter to the minister, CaFFE stressed that due to the postponement of the LG polls in Muhudubadapaththu and Pudukudirippu in the Mullaitivu District even seven years after the war ended  LG bodies have not been established. 

It noted since the end of the war, these two Pradeshiya Sabha jurisdictions remained as the only two that do not have Local Government elections. 

CaFFE added it was in no way a democratic practice to hold a LG election based on nomination lists accepted over five years ago. It was a well known fact that the related court proceedings were a tactic by a regional politician to prevent the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) from gaining power owing to the political environment prevalent at the time. 

“Elections can be held under new nominations in the aforementioned LG authorities through an Act of Parliament. Even though various parties on many occasions have highlighted the necessity of a draft bill with regards to this, nothing has taken place in this regard,” the letter said. 

Due to various elections held at various times no new political parties have been registered in those areas. CaFFE asserted this has created an unhealthy environment for multi-party politics and said this situation has curtailed the ability for many groups who conduct themselves with a genuine political identity to act as a political party. 

 CaFFE further requested the draft bills for the holding of the LG elections in Muhudubadapaththu and Pudukuduirippu to be presented to Parliament without any delay. It also said the steps must be taken to allow new political parties to register.