Nimal Punchihewa: Latest News

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Ranil Wickremesinghe - Nimal Punchihewa - Final decision on Local Government Election today (24) - newsfirst.lk - Sri Lanka
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Final decision on Local Government Election today (24)
COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka's Election Commission will meet on Friday (23) to reach a final decision on the 2023 Local Government Election due to the lack of financing and support from state agencies.Earlier, the Election Commission decided to conduct the Local Government Election on the 9th of March 2023.However, the Government Printer had refused to deliver the ballot papers owing to a payment issues, and this led to the National Election Commission to postpone the postal voting process that was scheduled for this wekk.The Chairman of the National Election Attorney Nimal Punchihewa said the Local Government Election was called for legally as per the country's constitutions and the election law.He told News 1st on Thursday (23) that all members of the National Election Commission consented to the Local Government Election Process.He said that given that funds were not being provided to continue with the election process, the National Election Commission will meet on Friday (24) to reach a final decision on the Local Government Election 2023. The statement came from the Elections Chief after Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe told Parliament on Thursday (23) that the country's National Election Commission has not legally called for an election, and there are no funds to conduct an election.Commenting on the debate requested by the opposition on postponing the election, the President said there is no election for one to be postponed.The President said the proposed Parliament Select Committee must be appointed to inquire into the Election Commission and the Local Government Election.In the meantime, the petition filed by Retired Sri Lanka Army Colonel W. M.
Nimal Punchihewa - Rohana Hettiarachchi - Postal Vote to go ahead as planned; Election Monitors to take action against Govt. Printer - newsfirst.lk - Sri Lanka
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Postal Vote to go ahead as planned; Election Monitors to take action against Govt. Printer
COLOMBO (News 1st); Postal Voting for the upcoming Local Government Election will go ahead as planned on the 22nd, 23rd, and 24th of February 2023, confirmed the Chairman of the National Election Commission Attorney Nimal Punchihewa on Wednesday (15).He said that the distribution of the ballot papers for Postal Voting was delayed, though the distribution process was scheduled to commence on Tuesday (14).However, the Government Printer said that an issue arose regarding the provision of the ballot papers for the Postal Vote due to funding issues.In the meantime, the National Election Commission and the Government Printer had engaged in a series of talks and based on those discussions the Government Printers is expected to deliver the ballot papers for postal voting in the coming days.Moreover, Election Monitors have decided to take legal action against the conduct of the Government Printer for failing to deliver the ballot papers.Election Monitors said that the Government Printer has taken an unconstitutional decision to not deliver the ballot papers.Rohana Hettiarachchi, the Executive Director of the People's Action for Free & Fair Elections (PAFFREL) said the National Election Commission must also take legal action against the Government Printer.Secure packages containing the ballot papers for postal voting were to be handed over to Sri Lanka Post on Wednesday (15), however as the ballot papers were not delivered, the process was suspended indefinitely as per a decision reached by the National Election Commission on Tuesday (14). 
Ranil Wickremesinghe - Nimal Punchihewa - Ballot Papers for Postal Voting delayed; NEC yet to decide on holding elections on designated date - newsfirst.lk
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Ballot Papers for Postal Voting delayed; NEC yet to decide on holding elections on designated date
COLOMBO (News 1st); The National Election Commission has informed the Political Party Secretaries that it will not be able to direct the ballot papers for Postal Voting tomorrow (15), as previously planned. This was revealed by the Secretaries of the Political Parties who met with the National Election Commission on Tuesday (14) morning.Earlier, Chairman of the National Election Commission Attorney Nimal Punchihewa speaking to News 1st said that the current state of affairs surrounding the election will be discussed at the meeting. Election Monitors were also summoned for this meeting.The Secretaries of the Political Parties  revealed that the National Election Commission is yet to decide on whether or not the Local Government Election will be held on the 9th of March 2023. They also noted that the National Election Commission is likely to face an issue concerning the Ballot Papers required for postal voting.Palitha Range Bandara, the General Secretary for the United National Party told reporters that the UNP has never called for a delay in elections."How can one even ask for funds from President Ranil Wickremesinghe, after he took over a country that was literally bankrupt," he told the media while leaving the National Election Commission premises.He said that based on the meeting with the NEC it is likely the election would be delayed."If the government says it does not have the funds, if the Government Printer says it cannot print the ballot papers without payment, it is the National Election Commission that needs to decide on the matter," he added.Ranjith Madduma Bandara, the General Secretary of the Samagi Jana Balavegaya told reporters that the National Election Commission had given an undertaking to go ahead with
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