Govt will not postpone EP poll

Ranil Wijayapala

COLOMBO: The Government has no intention to postpone the Eastern Provincial Council elections as speculated by some political parties, Government Defence Spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said yesterday.

"The Government has not withdrawn from its position of ensuring the democratic rights of the Eastern people and we are doing our best to conduct the Provincial Council elections according to the conditions stipulated by the Elections Commissioner," the Minister added.

Rambukwella made these observations referring to comments made by Sri Lanka Muslim Congress leader Rauff Hakeem to some newspapers regarding the Eastern polls saying that the Government is preparing to postpone the polls on security grounds.

"That must be their wish. But we are taking all steps to make the situation conducive for the PC polls," the Minister added.

He added that it was same political parties who earlier demanded that elections should be held to get their representatives into the Government administration.

He said the Government is happy about the decision by the political parties who boycotted the Batticaloa Local Polls to contest the forthcoming Provincial Council elections.

"We are happy that more political parties are contesting the PC polls strengthening the very fabric of democracy," the Minister added.

Rambukwella said the Government started establishing political freedom in the Eastern province with the Batticaloa Local Government elections, the lowest unit in the country's administrative structure.

The conduct of PC polls in accordance with the Supreme Court decision on the demerger of the North-East province will further strengthen democracy, the Minister added.