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UNP loses CMC petition | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The main opposition in Sri Lanka, United National Party (UNP), has effectively lost a battle to regain the control of Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) with the latest ruling by the Appeals Court. The courts have rejected a petition by the UNP against the rejection of their nomination papers for the CMC. The judiciary has ruled that the decision by Colombo retaining officer, Mahinda Deshapriya, was legal as the UNP list included a candidate under the qualifying age of 18 years. Justices K Sripavan and Sisira de Abroo decided against the petition by UNP General Secretary NKK Veragoda that argued the 2005 electoral lists should be considered for the 31 March local polls. The UNP has held the power in CMC for decades since independence. Sri Lanka’s ruling alliance, United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA), has also lost an appeal against the decision to reject nominations for their stronghold, Gampaha Municipal Council, under the similar grounds. Elections for 261 local government bodies are to be held on 31 March. | LOCAL LINKS  JVP 'best choice' to rule the village20 March, 2006 | Sandeshaya Guidelines agreed for local polls13 March, 2006 | Sandeshaya SB seeks new UNP leadership20 February, 2006 | Sandeshaya Colombo UNP list rejected 16 February, 2006 | Sandeshaya | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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