A writ petition has been filed in the Court of Appeal seeking a declaration that the election of 23 candidates who contested the Maharagama Urban Council under an independent group (motorcycle symbol) is invalid.
Chandrasena Perera, a registered voter for the electoral area of Maharagama Urban Council filed this petition through President’s Counsel Faiz Musthapha and counsel Amarasiri Panditharatne.
Perera has asked court that the elected members be ruled disqualified from sitting and voting.
When the matter came up before the Court of Appeal (President) Preethi Padman Surasena and Justice Arjuna Obeysekara, 27 respondents including 23 members of the independent group, Election Commission Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya and members of the Election Commission were noticed to appear in Court on June 28.
Perera stated that elections of the members of the independent group No 2, are void since they did not have the qualifications required by Section 8 of the Local Authorities Elections Ordinance.
The petitioner alleged that most of candidates who contested under the motorcycle were not residents of Maharagama.The petitioner said the addresses listed next to their names read as Divulapitiya, Badalgama and Wellawatta. The petitioner also seeking an interim order directing the Election Commission to produce the official nomination paper and the respective affidavits and declarations of the candidates of Independent group No.2 who contested the Local Authorities Elections held on February 10.
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