Sri Lanka major opposition calls applications for candidature of local government elections for 34 councils

Sri Lanka's major opposition United National Party (UNP) has called applications for the candidature of local government elections for 34 councils that did not held elections on March 17 with the other local bodies.

The elections for these councils were postponed due to cricket world cup and other reasons and the mandates of these councils were extended under emergency regulations.

The elections for these councils are to be held this year.

The UNP urges the persons vying for party candidature at the elections for these local government bodies to send their applications to the party secretary.

These local government councils include Colombo and Kandy Municipal Councils.

Sri Lanka held elections for 234 of the 335 local authorities in the country on 17 March 2011.

It had originally been intended to hold elections in 301 authorities but elections were postponed in 67 councils mainly due to legal challenges against nomination rejections. The election dates for these councils are also yet to be decided.