• SJB wins Aranayake PS

The establishment of the new Beruwala Urban Council (UC), which was scheduled to commence yesterday (19), has been temporarily halted, according to a group of Councilors of the main Opposition, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB).

Although arrangements had been made to hold the inaugural meeting of the Council yesterday under the supervision of the Western Provincial Commissioner of Local Government (LG), four out of the six Councilors elected to the Beruwala UC from the SJB had not received the official letter notifying them of the meeting. As a result, they filed a petition at the Court of Appeal (CA).

Accordingly, the CA has ruled that the establishment of the UC should proceed only after the relevant letters are delivered appropriately and due notice is given.

According to the SJB Councilors, both the group of independent candidates and the SJB group, who arrived yesterday morning, left the Beruwala UC premises without waiting for the arrival of the Commissioner.

Furthermore, it was noted that a document signed by the Commissioner had been posted, stating that yesterday’s Council session and the formation of the Council would not take place.

During the recent LG Election, the Independent Group won seven seats, the SJB won six seats while the National People’s Power secured three seats in the Beruwala UC.

Meanwhile, Manjula Seneviratne of the SJB was yesterday elected as the Chairperson of the Aranayaka Pradeshiya Sabha (PS) after securing 16 votes. G.W. Iresha of the Sarvajana Balaya was nominated and unanimously appointed as the Deputy Chairperson.