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Political parties begin campaign for crucial Elpitiya polls
View(s):Political parties have begun campaigning for the Elpitiya Pradeshiya Sabha’s October election which is set to give the winning party a gallop in the presidential race.
Our correspondent said party supporters were seen engaging in campaign related work yesterday, as they believed a victory for their party would sway the presidential election in their favour. Following Friday’s Supreme Court order, the National Election Commission (NEC) announced that the election to the Pradeshiya Sabha would be held in October.
The council’s election was postponed after the Supreme Court in 2018 issued an interim order when it took up the Democratic United National Front’s petition challenging the rejection of its nomination papers.
On Friday at the conclusion of the hearing into the petition, a three-judge Supreme Court bench comprising Justices Prasanna Jayawardena, Vijith Malalgoda and Murdu Fernando issued an order directing the Galle District Returning Officer to accept as valid the nomination papers presented by the petitioner.
NEC Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya said the Commission would instruct the Galle District Secretary to issue the gazette notification on Monday announcing the election to the Elpitiya PS.
The election has to be held within seven weeks from the issuance of the gazette notification.