Sri Lanka Supreme Court: Wickremesinghe Guilty of Unlawful Conduct in Local Elections Delay

Aug 22, 2024, 12:03 PM

Sri Lanka's Supreme Court has found President Ranil Wickremesinghe guilty of 'arbitrary and unlawful' conduct for postponing local body elections that were scheduled last year. The decision comes amid political tensions as the country approaches its presidential election on September 21. The postponed local elections were viewed as an unofficial referendum on Wickremesinghe's economic policies. In response to the court's decision, the Election Commission has been ordered to take measures to hold the delayed local government elections immediately. Additionally, two leading candidates in the upcoming presidential race have pledged to abolish the executive presidency, a promise that has been made by many political leaders in the past but never fulfilled.