High time to amend LG election law

The National People's Power (NPP), subsequent to the May 6 local government elections, has encountered the same problem the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) faced following the 2018 local council elections.

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Both parties obtained the highest number of seats in a majority of councils but failed to claim absolute power in a large number of them, as the collective strength of all other parties in those councils exceeded their strength.

For instance, the NPP has got the highest number of seats in 267 councils, including in the Elpitiya Pradeshiya Sabha election held On October 26 last year, but failed to secure an absolute majority in 134 councils, including the Colombo Municipal Council, the largest LG body in the country.

In 2018, the SLPP resolved the issue soon by politically bribing the smaller parties in the councils where it could not claim absolute majority. The NPP which claims that it stands for an ethical political culture in the country cannot resort to such actions. However, the General Secretary of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), the core party of the NPP coalition, stated that they would capture power of those councils where they could not secure an absolute majority, with the help of independent groups that have won seats in those councils.