People’s Movement for Provincial Council Elections to Launch in January: Sumanthiran

23-Nov-2025

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Expressing dissatisfaction that the President failed to give any satisfactory response regarding the conduct of Provincial Council elections during last week’s meeting, Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) General Secretary M.A. Sumanthiran announced that a public campaign pressing for the immediate holding of the election will begin in January.

During the meeting arranged at ITAK’s request to discuss a political solution for the Tamils, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and ITAK representatives discussed the Provincial Council elections in detail.

Referring to the NPP’s election manifesto—which promised to conduct the long-delayed Local Government and Provincial Council elections within one year—Sumanthiran urged the President to fulfill that promise without delay.

However, the President spoke about various issues, including the confusion over which system should be used for the election, the proportional representation system, and his disagreement with the preferential voting system. He said actions would be taken soon to hold the Provincial Council elections.

Nevertheless, ITAK representatives stated that the President showed little interest in the issues discussed and failed to provide any satisfactory or positive response.

Given this situation, and expressing dissatisfaction over the President’s lack of concern and the government’s excuses for delaying the elections, Sumanthiran announced that a public movement pressing for immediate elections will begin in January.

He has already stated that a broad-based civic movement—including political parties and civil society groups representing the North, East, South, and other regions—will be formed to pressure the government to conduct the elections promptly.