The Local Government Authorities Elections (Amendment) Bill which was presented to parliament last Thursday, will effectively further the elected representative from the people by centralizing all power with the party leadership and prevent minor parties/independent groups and concerned individuals from successfully contesting local council elections.
The present international trend is to encourage concerned citizens/professionals to contest for local governing bodies so that local issues can be addressed. But by increasing the qualifying payment per name in the nomination list of an independent group to Rs 20, 000, the government has effectively prevented prfessionals from coming forward, said UNP MP R. Yogaraja.
The existing system does not need candidates from registered political parties to place a deposit --- and a contestant of an independent group only has to deposit Rs. 250. The hike in deposit fees means that a political party has to deposit nearly Rs 500 000 to contest for the Colombo Municipal Council, for instance.(Read More)

he notion of constructive criticism and positive and creative intervention is not on the agenda of oppositional politics in Sri Lanka. This criticism applies not only to the oppositional political parties but also to oppositional civil society in Colombo. This has been clearly demonstrated by the responses of the opposition to The Local Authorities Elections (Amendment) Bill 2010. It seems that the United National Party and the Tamil National Alliance will vote against the bill in Parliament. At the time of writing, Janata Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) has also said that it will vote against the bill. Let me begin with by saying that the bill to reform the local government election is the most democratic bill that this government has so far presented to Parliament, some flaws and deficiencies therein notwithstanding. It is a response to the demands of the people that the existing electoral system should be changed to revert to the old system that made the representative more accountable.(Read More)

The JVP  (20) said it would oppose the Local Government Elections Bill, as there are several discrepancies in the proposed piece of legislation.

JVP parliamentarian Anura Kumara Dissanayake told a press conference yesterday that there should be a proper functioning method to reflect the views of the people in a proper democratic representation and that the proposed amendments do not reflect this situation.

He said that according to the amendments, the divisions of the local authority are defined by a Commission appointed by the Local Government Minister and would therefore not be conducted in a scientific method, but purely based on political needs. (Read More)

Justice Minister Athauda Seneviratne said yesterday former Army Commander and Democratic National Alliance (DNA) Leader Sarath Fonseka should not be pardoned as he was serving a prison sentence on being convicted of fraud.

During the debate on the motion to increase salaries of senior judicial officers, he told parliament that the other prisoners should also be pardoned and freed if the former army commander was granted a pardon.

“No one had taken political revenge from the DNA Leader but he had been sent to prison for committing a serious fraud,” the minister said adding that he had got the military to purchase equipment through his son-in-law’s company.(Read More)

Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa told Parliament yesterday that DNA leader and former army commander Sarath Fonseka’s seat could only be saved if the Court of Appeal issued a stay order preventing the Secretary General of the House from declaring it vacant. 

Mr. Rajapaksa also said the issue could not be discussed in the House as it was before the courts at the moment. 

He made this point when UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake inquired from him yesterday of the situation regarding the DNA MP’s seat in the House. (Read More)

The JVP yesterday said its member Lakshman Nipunaarachchi would not take oaths as an MP in place of jailed Sarath Fonseka though his name had been gazetted by the Elections Commissioner.

Addressing a news conference, party General Secretary Tilvin Silva said the government had acted in precipitant haste to scrap the parliamentary membership of the former Army Commander.

“We have filed a case against the General Court Martial ruling that imprisoned the former Army Commander. 

Also, they have acted to cancel his parliamentary seat in view of his jailed term. That is why, the Secretary General of Parliament had informed the Elections Commissioner about the cancellation of Mr. Fonseka’s MP post,Also, they have acted to cancel his parliamentary seat in view of his jailed term. That is why, the Secretary General of Parliament had informed the Elections Commissioner about the cancellation of Mr. Fonseka’s MP post,and requested him to gazette the name of Mr. Nipunarachchi in his place. (Read More)

Despite reservations, the UNP yesterday voted with the ruling UPFA to endorse the Local Authorities (Special Provisions) and Local Authorities Elections (Amendment) at the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council.

A spokesman for the Sabaragamuwa PC told The Island yesterday that the Bills had been passed with a majority of 33 votes with 12 UNPers throwing their weight behind the UPFA group comprising 23 members. Two JVP members voted against the Bills.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa recently instructed Provincial Governors to obtain the approval of the PCs. UPFA and UNP officials said that they would vote for the Bills. ................  (Read More0

JVP would continue its poster campaign despite the ban imposed by the government, party leader Somawansa Amarasinghe said yesterday.

Mr. Amarasinghe who was addressing the party’s local government representatives at New Town Hall yesterday said it would continue its poster campaign against the loss of democracy, jailing of former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka and would successfully overcome the barriers imposed by the government on opposition.

He charged that the growing displeasure against the jailing of DNA leader Sarath Fonseka had forced the government to make a continuous request from him to tender an apology.

Mr. Amarasinghe said the government was under pressure both national and international level because of the harassment inflicted on former army commander.

He said international pressure was coming from all parts of the world except India. (Read More)

The JVP politburo yesterday condemned the ‘brutal police attack’ on a group of journalists who were covering the university students’ protest within the premises of the University Grants Commission (UGC).

Issuing a statement, the JVP said the police had also threatened journalists not to report the event. “We roundly condemn this attack on the media and the students who were agitating for their rights,” the statement said. 

The JVP also commented on Higher Education Minister S.B. Dissanayake’s remarks that the government would not hesitate to jail even 1000 students  in its pursuit of policies to make Sri Lanka the centre of learning.(Read More)