During the Cabinet press briefing held this morning (14), Cabinet Spokesman Minister Bandula Gunawardena announced that President Wickremesinghe has instructed Prime Minister Gunawardena to explore the possibility of nullifying the nominations accepted for the postponed 2023 Local Government (LG) election.
Gunawardena stated that the President has urged the Prime Minister to seek legal counsel from the Attorney General on this matter. Additionally, the Head of State has directed the Prime Minister to engage in discussions with other political parties regarding the annulment of the accepted nominations.
Gunawardena further disclosed that these instructions were issued due to the challenges faced by government employees who submitted nominations for the LG polls, hindering their ability to fulfill their duties and engage in other activities effectively.
The Prime Minister has been advised to commence discussions with the Attorney General, the Election Commissioner, and party leaders to organize the Local Government election within the upcoming year. Gunawardena emphasized that these elections will adhere to the previous system, ensuring representation for women as well.