by Saman Indrajith

The Speaker’s Office yesterday announced that only MEP leader Dinesh Gunawardena of the Joint Opposition group of the UPFA would be allowed to make special statements under the provisions of the Standing Order 23-2.

With UPFA parliamentary group leader Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva’s permission Deputy leader of the UPFA and MEP leader Dinesh Gunawardena would be allowed to make special statements, Speaker’s Media Secretary Chaminda Gamage said.

Accordingly, MEP leader Dinesh Gunawardena made a special statement under the Standing Order 23-2, yesterday. He asked why the government was not holding local government elections. He said that the terms of a majority of local governing bodies were due to expire in March while those of others would end in October this year. He charged that the government was giving false excuses for the delay.

“The claim that the delimitation process is yet to be completed is untrue,” MP Gunawardena said.

Leader of the House University Education and Highways Minister Lakshman Kiriella said there were errors in the delimitation process carried out by the previous regime: “There was no official delimitation process during the previous regime. Delimitation was done at the houses of Ministers and MPs. Not by the Elections Commissioner. The Elections Commissioner told the Cabinet that he did not know anything of the progress of the delimitation.”

The Minister said the government would give a detailed response during the next sitting week.

Courtesy:The Island