President Mahinda Rajapaksa has emphasized that candidates of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and all affiliated parties of the United People’s Freedom Alliance contesting under the UPFA should ensure to hold a free and fair and peaceful election.
This was stated by cabinet spokesman, Mass Media and Information Minister Keheliya Rambukwella. He said that the President made these comments at the cabinet meeting yesterday morning. The President has mentioned that it is necessary to hold a peaceful election enabling the people to exercise their free will.
The Minister said that the United People’s Freedom Alliance will handover all remaining nominations today and some of the nominations were handed over yesterday. He said that the President and the government has acknowledged the right of the members of the Sri Lanka freedom party as well as other parties in the Alliance to join or leave the parties on their personnel will.
The General Secretary of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance Minister Susil Premajayantha said that the remaining nominations of the UPFA will be handed over to the relevant Returning Officers today, and some of the nominations have handed over yesterday. He said that 14 candidates from the Batticaloa district, 17 candidates from the Ampara district and 13 candidates from the Trincomalee district will contest for the Eastern Provincial Council. From the North-central province, 13 candidates from Polonnaruwa district and 24 candidates from the Anuradhapura district will be fielded. From the Sabaragamuwa province, 27 candidates from the Ratnapura district and 21 candidates from the Kegalle district will contest under the UPFA.
Meanwhile the United National Party and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna also handed over their nominations yesterday and they will be handing over their nominations for the remaining districts today.
The acceptance of nominations for the election of the three provincial councils will end at 12 noon today. The Commissioner of Elections MahindaDeshapriya said that the date of holding of the election will be declared by 12.30 this afternoon.
