NORTHERN PC POLLS AFTER MAY : DOUGLAS
This would be another step towards strengthening the democratic mechanism in the North after the end of the war
The Northern Provincial Council election will be conducted soon after the annual electoral register is finalized in May, Minister Douglas Devananda said yesterday.
The Traditional In-
dustries and Small Enterprise Development Minister quoted President Mahinda Rajapaksa as having told him, that the poll would be held for the first time after the introduction of the provincial council system.
After the 1987 Indo-lanka accord, the Northern Province was merged with the eastern province to establish the north -east provincial council. However,
it was demerged in 2006 by a Supreme Court ruling.
First, the North-east provincial council was set up in 1988, and the Eelam People’s Revolutionary Party’s leader Varatharajah Perumal was its chief minister. After the demerger, the election to the separate eastern provincial council was established after the election held on May 10, 2008. However, the northern provincial council could not be con-
This would be another step towards strengthening the democratic mechanism in the North after the end of the war. Planning to finalize the voters’ register before May 31, 2012.
ize the voters’ register before May 31, 2012. According to the normal procedure, once the finalized list is issued in a gazette notification.
In the north, the resettlement process has been completed now with only 6000 families still remaining at temporary shelters in Vavuniya. Also, basic infrastructure facilities have been constructed. In the post war period, presidential, parliamentary and local government elections were conducted in the north. stituted due to the war in the area.
Minister Devananda said this would be another step towards strengthening the democratic mechanism in the North after the end of the war.
Asked whether he still aspired to be the chief minister of the north, he said it was his long term ambition. Earlier, he was on record saying that he would contest for the chief ministerial post at the next election.
Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya said he would final-