“Hold the Provincial Council Elections by the First Quarter of 2026 – United People’s Power”

28-Oct-2025

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The United People’s Power (Samagi Jana Balawegaya) has challenged the government to hold the Provincial Council elections by the first quarter of 2026.

Parliamentarian S.M. Marikkar stated that the government suffered a severe defeat in the Cooperative Society elections, and due to fear of a similar outcome, it has reportedly decided not to conduct the Provincial Council elections.

Speaking at a press conference held at the SJB office in Colombo on October 26, he said:

The Minister of Public Security, instead of conducting a proper investigation into the murder of the Weligama Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman, has accused the victim of being linked to underworld gangs. 

This reflects the government’s stance. If he truly had no underworld connections, why was he never arrested? The government seems to be tolerating shootouts between underworld groups as if it were not a concern.

When President Anura Kumara Dissanayake was in the opposition, he had said that no matter who the victim was, it was wrong to justify a murder by investigating the person’s background. But now, under his own government, a minister is trying to justify the Weligama Chairman’s killing.

Lasantha Wickramasekara accepted the Weligama Chairmanship despite intense government pressure. His murder now raises many suspicions.

Individuals associated with human rights violations and killings during 1988–89 now sit in the front row of the ruling party in Parliament. 

However, we have never said they should be killed. Those who called for burning Parliament during the 2022 unrest are also among them. We only demand that legal action be taken — not revenge killings. Because of the government’s arbitrary actions, national security has become a serious concern.

Information now suggests that the government will not hold the Provincial Council elections. Having ignored earlier cooperative election defeats, it now fears the consequences. They once asked people to give 

them only six months in power — yet the people have given them more. 

Therefore, we challenge the government to conduct the elections by the first quarter of 2026 if it truly has no fear.

Like the Northern people, Southerners too deserve decentralized administration. Out of nearly 10,000 schools, only about 300 are national schools; the remaining 9,000 fall under Provincial Councils. 

The same applies to many hospitals. Allowing governors (appointed by the President) to rule them weakens provincial autonomy. They should be run by elected representatives accountable to the people.

Everyone knows the problems caused by delaying local government elections. Therefore, Provincial Council elections must not be postponed again in order to protect people’s democratic rights, he said.