The Provincial Councils and Local Government Minister Faiszer Musthapa yesterday said that on legal advice, he will not accept the Asoka Peiris Appeals committee report on delimitation without the signatures of all five members.
In a press statement issued yesterday, he said he had received legal advice that the report is not valid without all five signatures. A.S.M. Misbah, the member representing the United National Party is yet to place his signature while four other members Sri Lanka Freedom Party’s K. Saliya, Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna’s Upul Kumaraperuma and Tamil National Alliance’s Prof. B. Balasundarampillai had already endorsed the report.
The Committee was appointed by the Minister to look into the objections and appeals against the National Delimitation Committee report which demarcated new wards of the local government bodies to facilitate holding elections under a new mixed system.
The Local Government election have been delayed as result of the delay in submitting the appeals committee report. Minister Mustapha and Committee Chairman is accusing each other for the delay. (MF)