• Oppo. walks out of Seethawaka PS again over secret ballot to elect Chair; SJB expels 6 Beruwala Urban Councillors 

Cabinet Spokesperson Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa stated that the ruling National People’s Power (NPP) had not entered into any political agreements with other parties to form administrations in Local Government (LG) bodies.

He made these comments at the weekly Cabinet of Ministers media briefing held yesterday (15), in response to questions raised by the media regarding recent developments in the Beruwala Urban Council (UC).

Commenting on the Samagi Jana Balawegaya’s (SJB) councillors’ support to the NPP in forming the administration of the Beruwala UC, Minister Dr. Jayatissa clarified that the NPP had secured leadership with the backing of a few Opposition members, but without any formal alliances. He further pointed out that the SJB had previously taken control of the Beruwala Pradeshiya Sabha (PS) with just 10 out of 43 councillors, and that the NPP had now followed a similar approach to secure the administration of the said UC with only three members. “No one questioned how that happened,” he said. He also said that the SJB General Secretary, Parliamentarian Ranjith Madduma Bandara, had issued written instructions to party councillors, urging them not to support the NPP’s nominee, but to vote for any other person contesting for the Chairpersonship. However, he said that the councillors had defied this directive and voted in favour of the NPP candidate. He also highlighted that the party had not entered into any deals or negotiations with other political parties, and that in certain cases, support from Opposition members had been extended independently.

Meanwhile, the election to appoint a new Chairperson for the Seethawaka PS has been delayed once again after members of the Opposition staged a walkout yesterday. A meeting was convened under the leadership of the Western Province Local Government Commissioner Sarangika Jayasundara last morning to appoint a new Chairperson for the Seethawaka PS. During the session, Opposition members walked out in protest against the decision to hold a secret ballot to elect the Chairperson. Due to the lack of quorum as a result, Jayasundara decided to postpone the session indefinitely.

A prior attempt was also made to appoint a new Chairperson, during which a decision had to be made whether to conduct a secret or open ballot. Jayasundara had the authority to make that decision and chose to proceed with a secret ballot. Opposition members, protesting this decision, walked out of the session at that time as well.

Earlier, on Monday (14), the Court of Appeal dismissed a petition seeking an injunction to prevent Jayasundara from conducting a secret ballot to elect the Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of the Seethawaka PS, which was filed by Opposition members of the PS.

Elsewhere, the SJB, has taken steps to expel six of its councillors elected to the Beruwala UC who supported the NPP in forming the Council’s administration, according to SJB General Secretary Madduma Bandara.