Sri Lanka Local Government Elections Bill is constitutional, Supreme Court rules

Sri Lanka Supreme Court has ruled that the Bill on Local Government electoral reforms was in agreement with the Constitution of the country, the Speaker of parliament Chamal Rajapaksa has announced.

Sri Lanka's Marxist party Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) filed a petition in Supreme Court last month challenging the Local Government Elections (Amendment) Bill.

The JVP stated that certain clauses in the new Bill were in direct conflict with the Constitution and had to be dealt with legally.

The two bills, Local Authorities (Special Provisions) Bill and the Local Authorities Elections (Amendment) Bill presented in parliament last month introduce a new system to elect members to local government bodies through the amendments to the Local Authorities Elections Ordinance.