President, Premier address Battaramulla All Party Meeting

The all-party meeting on concerns pertaining to demarcation of local government bodies was held on Friday. The all-party meeting on concerns pertaining to demarcation of local government bodies was held in Battaramulla under the auspices of President Maithripala Sirisena. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe also attended the meeting.
The President’s Media Division said that 64 political parties made their representations at the meeting.
Speaking at the meeting, President Maithripala Sirisena noted that the people’s mandate needs to be represented in the elections.
The president further noted:
We need to have one objective to change the preferential votes system and move into the new election system that we aspire for and the relevant Act was passed in Parliament. But the committee on demarcating electoral divisions has not accomplished their duty so far.
He added:
Around 2000 appeals were forwarded to the committee regarding the demarcation of electoral divisions and I am of the strong view that we need to act in a manner in which the incumbent committee would not have to face those same allegations.
He further stated:
If the expected task is not fulfilled by taking a less amount of time, we will have to face the accusations starting from day of passing it. Winning an election is not mere victory of a political party itself , but a victory of the opinion of the majority of the society
Prime Minister,Ranil Wickremesinghe meanwhile stated:
It is paramount importance that we hold the local government elections next year. Two party leaders made announcements in Parliament over the matter and we said that we need to hold the elections before the 30th of March.
He added:
As this matter was being raised, I said that we need to have the elections before the Sinhala and Tamil New Year and the process was questioned and I said that I cannot make a statement there.
He further stated:
Here, we have all the party leaders and when a decision is being made, the Party leaders will have to make a decision in Parliament and we need to make a decision as to under which system the elections will take place, before the end of the year.
The Prime Minister also stated:
As the Elections Commission, the Chairman of the Elections Commission said, that, if this election is to take place, 55 amendments need to be made to the existing law and we need to pass all of this in Parliament in January next year.
Following the all party-meeting the gathering was hosted to a tea party.