More than 10,000 applicants to contest from SLFP

Minister Maithripala Sirisena has revealed that more than 10,000 applications had been submitted from the Sri Lanka Freedom Party to contest the forthcoming Local Government polls. Giving views at a media conference, he pointed out that applications were still being received.

The Minister said that a Gazette notification for the conduct of local government elections countrywide including the North and East will be issued tonight. As some World Cup matches are being staged in Sri Lanka, elections will not be held for the Colombo, Galle and Kandy Municipal Councils and for the Suriyawewa Pradeshiya Sabha. He pointed out that by today, 10,000 applications to contest from the Sri Lanka Freedom Party alone had been received. He revealed that applications will be received until the 15th of this month. The Minister emphasized that they had not received such a large number of applications for candidacy in any local government poll. This, he added, clearly indicates the support the government had.