Elections for local govts. of former rebel areas to be held

Election Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya has decided to hold the elections of two local government bodies of the Mullativu district on 10 March.

The elections for Puthukudiyiruppu and Maritimepattu local government bodies in the Mullativu District were postponed twice since the de-mining and resettling of internally displaced persons of those areas was not complete.

Nominations for the two councils were handed over in January last year and the elections were scheduled to be held in December 2011. The areas were in the heart of the Tamil rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) strongholds before the end of war in 2009.  The Election Commissioner came to this decision following discussions with the Wanni district Assistant Election Commissioner, representatives of recognised political parties and election monitors.

(Colombo Page)