Healthcare and Nutrition Minister, Nimal Siripala de Silva said yesterday the elections for the five remaining Provincial Councils would be held in March 2009 as the government has fixed the first reading of the budget on November 8 and budget debate up to December 8.
Minister De Silva also said the intention of the government was to hold Provincial Council elections in the North simultaneously with these PC polls after liberating the province from the LTTE and restoring democracy in the province.
The Mahinda Rajapaksa government would not conclude its military campaign in the North until the province was fully liberated from terrorism and established peace that paved the way for a free and fair election, Minister De Silva stressed.
"The first reading of the budget has been fixed for November 8 and the third reading and final vote has been fixed for December 8. The budget debates are scheduled to be held six days a week except Sundays and Ministers and MPs will not be available for election propaganda until the conclusion of the budget debate, Minister De Silva told Daily Mirror yesterday.
After the budget the Parliament would be on recess for several, weeks. The government would consider on the dissolution of remaining five Provincial Councils during the first two months of 2009 and most probably the elections for the Western, Southern, Uva, North-Western and Central Provincial Councils would be held before the Sinhala-Hindu New Year festival, he said.
The entire Northern Province including Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu districts will fall into the hands of the armed forces by then, he added. The, government does not have hesitation to hold elections as UNP and JVP supporters were crossing over to the SLFP 'in large numbers.
The government expects to hold felicitation ceremonies islandwide to welcome them. The first such ceremony is to be held in Badulla next month.
-DM
Minister De Silva also said the intention of the government was to hold Provincial Council elections in the North simultaneously with these PC polls after liberating the province from the LTTE and restoring democracy in the province.
The Mahinda Rajapaksa government would not conclude its military campaign in the North until the province was fully liberated from terrorism and established peace that paved the way for a free and fair election, Minister De Silva stressed.
"The first reading of the budget has been fixed for November 8 and the third reading and final vote has been fixed for December 8. The budget debates are scheduled to be held six days a week except Sundays and Ministers and MPs will not be available for election propaganda until the conclusion of the budget debate, Minister De Silva told Daily Mirror yesterday.
After the budget the Parliament would be on recess for several, weeks. The government would consider on the dissolution of remaining five Provincial Councils during the first two months of 2009 and most probably the elections for the Western, Southern, Uva, North-Western and Central Provincial Councils would be held before the Sinhala-Hindu New Year festival, he said.
The entire Northern Province including Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu districts will fall into the hands of the armed forces by then, he added. The, government does not have hesitation to hold elections as UNP and JVP supporters were crossing over to the SLFP 'in large numbers.
The government expects to hold felicitation ceremonies islandwide to welcome them. The first such ceremony is to be held in Badulla next month.
-DM
