Northern PC Polls Next Year

By Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema

The government is considering holding provincial council elections for the Northern Province by mid 2010.
Agriculture Development and Agrarian Services Minister Maithripala Sirisena told The Sunday Leader that the government would hold the Northern Provincial Council election according to the 13th Amendment soon after the presidential and parliamentary elections.

He said that since the government currently has only the 13th amendment to the Constitution to work in relation to resolving the ethnic issue, efforts would be made to implement it.

“Whether the government should go beyond the 13th Amendment or reduce it, this could be considered after initially implementing it,” Sirisena said. He added that the President has assured that the solution for the ethnic issue would be decided after the elections conclude.