President’s unbelievable hurry led to Local Council mess: Mano

Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) Leader MP Mano Ganesan believes President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is responsible for the current power struggle at Local Councils.

In a post on ‘X’, MP Ganesan highlighted the flaws in the existing Local Government Act, which were evident during the previous elections.

He pointed out that the President claims parties that secure the highest number of votes should be allowed to form councils, even if they fall short of 50%. However, the current law lacks such a provision.

MP Ganesan said that the law was intended to provide representation for women and establish ward-based memberships. However, the current system has proven ineffective.

He recalled that all parties, including the JVP, had experimented with the system and decided to amend the law. They aimed to reduce the total number of LG members from 8,500 to nearly 5,000 and modify certain other clauses. This consensus was reached during the last Electoral Reform Select Committee, where Anura Kumara Dissanayake, then a JVP member, was a key figure.

Under the circumstances, the NPP government, with its 159 majority, could have amended the Act with the support of the opposition.

However, the President’s haste to conduct elections for political reasons prevented them from taking action promptly. Therefore, MP Ganesan believes the President should take responsibility for the current awkward situation.