Sri Lanka opposition plans legal action against any election delay

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s main opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya may go to the court against any decision to postpone local government elections which are due, Research and Development Secretary of SJB Eran Wickramaratne said.

SJB renewed its calls for any election while formally adopting a resolution to demand a local government election, on Sunday with party leader Sajith Premadasa expressing confidence that his party is ready for a litmus test at the second annual party convention.

SJB Legislator, Eran Wickramaratne said, the party has already taken a decision to take the case to the court against any effort to postpone the local elections.

“Since recent history the politicians are making various excuses to postpone the elections,” Wickramaratne told reporters at a media brief on Monday.

Taking a similar case from 2016, Wickramaratne said, under any circumstances, a government cannot postpone any election according to the constitution and, any changes in law must be done before the election, if not those changes should be done after the end of elections.

Minister of Justice, Wijedasa Rajapakhe, had claimed no decision has been taken to postpone local government elections which was postponed by one year in February last year till February 20, 2023, but “some necessary amendments or the adjustments”, would be done.

Opposition and political activists in Sri Lanka are pushing President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s government for both local government and parliament polls in the first quarter of 2023.

The local government elections were postponed by one year in February last year and they should be held by February 20, 2023. Wickremesinghe has the discretion to dissolve the parliament anytime after February next year.

“They are giving various excuses. They say there is an economic issue in the country. Why don’t we take environmental issues as well then?” Wickramaratne said.

“And also they say that the elections will cost around 10 billion rupees. What is that when compared to the loss they made due to the sugar scam last year. These are only excuses they make to post postpone the elections”

The SJB has called for a meeting with the President Wickremesinghe on Tuesday, he said. (Colombo/ Dec 12/2022)