The main Opposition, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), raised concerns about the transparency in the vote held yesterday (16) to elect the Mayor for the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC).

At a press briefing held yesterday (16) in Colombo following the vote during which the ruling National People’s Power (NPP) Mayoral candidate defeated the SJB’s candidate, the SJB's Gampaha Seat Organiser Waruna Rajapaksha questioned as to why a secret vote was necessary. "The best way to cast the vote through bribing is going for a secret vote. That is why the NPP kept asking for a secret vote to win the Mayoral post of the CMC. If they are open and policy-driven, they could have asked for an open vote," he claimed, adding that the people of Colombo have a right to know who voted for the NPP's Mayoral candidate.

Moreover, Rajapaksha questioned the conduct of the Commissioner of the Department of Local Government of the Western Province. Explaining that the councilors should vote for either a secret vote or an open one to elect the Mayor according to the law, he added that the said Commissioner went on to hold a secret vote to take that decision too, which he claimed is unacceptable.