Postal Voting for LG Election postponed indefinitely

Royal Canadian Mounted Police are investigating allegations of two so-called “police stations” in Quebec that are suspected to be operated by Chinese government officials.The RCMP confirmed by email Thursday morning an open investigation by the Integrated National Security Enforcement Team in the province into the two alleged outposts: one in Montreal and another in Brossard, a suburb on the city’s south shore.The police force added it’s possible that Chinese Canadians “have been victims of the possible activities conducted by these centres” and that any form of “intimidation, harassment and harmful of diaspora communities or individuals in Canada will not be tolerated.” Read more: At least one Chinese ‘secret police station’ based in Vancouver, civil rights group says “We are carrying out police actions aimed at detecting and disrupting these foreign state-backed criminal activities, which may threaten the safety of persons living in Canada,” the RCMP said in a statement.The Mounties have also created a phone line to report any threats in Quebec.The RCMP said it could not comment further on the alleged police stations, citing the ongoing probe. The investigation was first reported Thursday by the Journal de Montréal.Prime Minister Justin Trudeau briefly addressed the allegations in a scrum early Thursday, saying “we’re making sure the RCMP is following up on this and that our intelligence systems are taking this seriously.”“This is an issue that concerns us enormously,” he added.

₹84,790 crore by 2027 from ₹37,630 crore in 2021, according to market research firm IMARC Group. In the letter, Inoshi Sharma, executive director, regulatory compliance at FSSAI said that these supplements are being marketed with false, misleading and exaggerated health labels claims.

ANI. Dr Srivastava was speaking at an International Women's Day event at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital Refering to the Global Burden of Diseases (GBD) report, she said that India bears most of the burden of stroke, with 68.6% incidence of stroke, 70.9% stroke deaths, and 77.7 Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) lost.

PHILADELPHIA - A mother and daughter are injured after police say they were shot inside a Holmesburg pizza shop Wednesday night. Just before 9 p.m., police responded to Mayfair Pizza, located on the 7400 block of Frankford Avenue, for reports of a shooting. Police say gunfire erupted after an attempted robbery inside the pizza shop. Investigators say 19-year-old Kaleb Bridges walked into the family-owned and operated pizza shop and asked for money while pointing a gun at the employees. MORE HEADLINES Authorities say the suspect fired three shots inside the store, hitting a 65-year-old woman in the stomach and her 34-year-old daughter in the shoulder. Police told FOX 29's Shawnette Wilson that the husband and father of the victims, along with employees and customers inside the store, jumped on top of the gunman and subdued him until police arrived. The victims were rushed to Jefferson Torresdale Hospital where authorities say they were placed in stable condition.Bridges was taken into custody and a weapon was recovered, according to police. He was later charged with aggravated assault, VUFA and related charges. 

road in Willamette National Forest.The forest road in western Oregon is not typically maintained for winter travel, according to the Lane County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue. So when the motorist tried to traverse the remote road, his vehicle became stuck in the snow.The Lane County Sheriff's Search and Rescue team at Willamette National Forest.

GALVESTON, Texas - A second body has been found during the search for 13-year-old twin brothers who went missing in the water at a Galveston beach on Sunday, officials say.According to Galveston Island Beach Patrol, a young boy matching the description of the remaining missing twin was pulled from the water around 1 a.m. Thursday near 47th and Seawall.

PHILADELPHIA - The Philadelphia Police Department is investigating a shooting that left a Delaware County man dead. Authorities say the shooting occurred on the 4900 block of N Broad Street in Logan just after 9:30 p.m.

PHILADELPHIA - Police are investigating a crash that left a 70-year-old man injured after he was struck by a car. According to police, the crash occurred on Wednesday evening just before 8 p.m.

Genesis guitarist and bassist Mike Rutherford has updated fans on the state of Phil Collins’ health.Collins has experienced issues with his health since suffering a spinal injury in 2007, which damaged vertebrae in his upper neck and also left him with nerve damage. The injury has impacted his ability to perform, and at Genesis’ last ever show in March 2022, he performed in a wheelchair.Now, Rutherford has spoken about Collins’ health in an interview on BBC Breakfast to promote his upcoming tour with Mike + The Mechanics, in which Collins’ son Nic will be playing drums.Speaking about Collins’ condition, Rutherford said: “As you know, Phil is a bit… He’s much more immobile than he used to be, which is a shame, but at the tour, he was in good spirits.

The Legislative Standing Committee has agreed on 25% of youth representation under the proposed Local Authorities Elections (Amendment) Bill.The Local Government Elections (Amendment) Bill presented by MPs Premnath C. Dolawatta and Imthiaz Bakeer Markar as Private Members’ Bills along with Ministerial reports were considered by the Legislative Standing Committee recently (28) in Parliament.The Legislative Standing Committee which took into discussion the said Bill was chaired by Ajith Rajapakse, Deputy Speaker of Parliament.Standing Orders 53(4) dictates that "No clause that is not in accordance with the basic desire of the Honorable Member presenting a Bill shall be allowed to be included in a Bill."  Accordingly, the committee directed to re-draft the Bill 126 considering the youth representation.The Committee also instructed the officials of Attorney-General’s Department and Legal Draftsman Department to re draft the Bill No.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - A California assemblyman introduced a new bill to set parameters for how and when law enforcement officers can use facial recognition technology in body cameras."Rather than have every agency come up with their own set of standards, every jurisdiction do their own thing, we’re really proud to do something statewide," said Assemblyman Phil Ting (D-San Francisco).Currently, there are no statewide restrictions on facial recognition technology, because Ting’s previous bill sunset in January of this year. Signed in 2019, the bill placed a three-year-ban on the technology.The ban faced stiff opposition from law enforcement groups."Across the country, real world examples of law enforcement using facial recognition technology to solve major crimes showcases just how important this technology can be towards protecting our communities," said San Leandro police Chief Abdul Pridgen.Pridgen is also a member of the California Police Chiefs Association. Ting and state Sen.

SAN FRANCISCO - A historic San Francisco home, featured in "The Princess Diaries," has hit the market for $8.9 million. The 100-year-old home is one of the most aesthetic in San Francisco, according to Steven Mavromihalis, the real-estate agent handling the listing.The 4,599-square-foot home was designed by famed architect August Headman in 1923.  It has become well-known, however, as the place where "Princess Diaries" character Mia Thermopolis, played by a young Anne Hathaway, attended a fictitious school in the 2001 film. The home, located at 2601 Lyon Street is at the intersection of San Francisco's Pacific Heights and Cow Hallow neighborhoods.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Krispy Kreme is celebrating St. Patrick’s Day 2023 with four new "gold-themed" doughnuts and bringing back its green O’riginal Glazed doughnut with an opportunity to snag one for free.The new lineup, which will be available beginning Thursday at participating U.S.

The Bank of Canada held its benchmark interest rate steady on Wednesday — a decision real estate players and economists say will have major implications for the Canadian housing market.

Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to India, Milinda Moragoda said that the economic integration is the key to enhancing the exiting relations between India and Sri Lanka to a special relationship. He made these remarks while addressing the officers of the Indian Armed Forces at the prestigious Army War College, Mhow, on the topic ‘Trajectory of Sri Lanka India Relations: 2030’.Speaking to the officers of the Indian Armed Forces who are following the Joint Higher Command Course, High Commissioner Moragoda broadly highlighted the strategic significance of Indo-Lanka relations drawing from the historical ties to the present status of the special relationship between the two countries.  Elaborating on the vibrant Indo-Lanka relations, High Commissioner Moragoda highlighted the key role played by India by way of extending much-needed financial assistance worth nearly USD 4 billion, which served as the lifeline that rescued Sri Lanka’s economy from a total collapse.He also deliberated upon the strong defence cooperation that exists between the two countries and the continued training assistance extended to the members of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces by India, including the training opportunities offered by the Army War College.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka's Human Rights Commission has decided to summon Public Security Minister Tiran Alles for an inquiry on 13th March 2023, at 10 AM.The inquiry will be held to seek a clarification on the measures adopted by Sri Lanka Police to contain protests in Colombo and Kelaniya on the 7th and 8th of March 2023.The inquiry will take place at the Human Rights Commission premises in Colombo. In addition, the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka has decided to conduct an inquiry on the measures adopted by Sri Lanka Police and the Armed Forces to control protests that took place close to the University of Colombo on the 7th and 8th of March, and at the Kelaniya University on the 8th of March.HRCSL has informed the country's police chief to submit a list of Senior Police officers who were on the field to control the said protests before the 10th of March. 

PHILADELPHIA - A Philadelphia police officer who was shot in the line of duty in February remains in the hospital after experiencing complications. Two Delaware County men were charged in the shooting, including 45-year-old Eric Haynes, who was charged with two counts of attempted murder, aggravated assault, assault of a law enforcement officer, and related charges. Authorities say Haynes was one of two passengers inside a car driven by Ernest Reed, 45, that was pulled over on the 200 block of North 60th Street on February 8. During the traffic stop, investigators believe Haynes tried to leave the scene and was stopped by Philadelphia Police Officer Giovanni Maysonet, officials say. According to police, Maysonet and Haynes got into a physical struggle. Haynes allegedly fired at least two shots that hit Maysonet in the chest of his bulletproof vest and an unprotected part of his abdomen.  Related Eric Haynes and Ernest Reed were both charged in the non-fatal shooting of Philadelphia Police Officer Giovanni Maysonet during a traffic stop.

FILE - Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) arrives for a news conference at the U.S. Capitol on March 7, 2023, in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) WASHINGTON - Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell was hospitalized after tripping at a local hotel, a spokesman for the senator said.The Kentucky senator, who's 81, was attending a private dinner in Washington on Wednesday when he tripped.

FILE - A parking lot is filled with cars at the Florida mall. (Photo by Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) Car thieves are having a heyday across the U.S., and experts say not enough is being done about it.A new report from the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) released Wednesday shows vehicle thefts nationwide surpassed 1 million in 2022 for the first time in nearly 15 years, as several communities continue to be plagued by record and near-record levels of soaring auto crime. In its analysis using data from the National Crime Information Center, the NICB found vehicle theft rose 7% last year to 1,001,967, the highest level since 2008 when 1.05 million were reported stolen.California led the nation in car thefts last year, with 202,658, followed by Texas, where criminals swiped a little over 100,000.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Buddha Sasana Task Force addressed a letter to President Ranil Wickremesinghe stressing on the need to hold the local government election without delay for national and diplomatic stability.It calls to limit the number of ministers to 15, and remove State Ministers.

HARRISBURG, PA - JANUARY 17: Adam Shapiro arrives before his brother, Josh Shapiro, was sworn in as Governor of Pennsylvania at the State Capitol Building on January 17, 2023 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Shapiro defeated Republican nominee Doug Mastr HARRISBURG, Pa. - Lawyers for the districts that won a landmark school funding court case in Pennsylvania say that Gov.

SYRACUSE, NY - MARCH 04: Head coach Jim Boeheim of the Syracuse Orange smiles during the press conference following a game between the Syracuse Orange and the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at JMA Wireless Dome on March 4, 2023 in Syracuse, New York. (Pho Jim Boeheim enrolled at Syracuse in 1962.

LOS ANGELES - Purchasing a $22.5 million mansion? Check!Powerball jackpot winner Edwin Castro can cross that off his list of purchases following his record-setting $2.04 billion win.Castro splurged on the Hollywood Hills mansion less than 30 days after his win was first announced on Valentine's Day, according to The Dirt. The 13,578-square-foot home boasts 5-bedrooms, 6-bathrooms, and overlooks the Sunset Strip. The "modern retreat" listed by luxury realtors The Agency had an original asking price of $29.95 million.The man who won the $2 billion Powerball last November in Altadena just purchased his very own Hollywood Hills mansion.

(Reuters) – Sri Lanka aims to announce a debt-restructuring strategy in April and step up talks with commercial creditors ahead of an International Monetary Fund review of a bailout package in six months, the nation's central bank governor told Reuters.The crisis-hit island has secured financing assurances from all its major bilateral creditors, including India and China, and so has set the stage for the IMF to give its final approval for a $2.9 billion, four-year bailout package on March 20, the multilateral lender said on Tuesday.The bailout is the culmination of months of negotiations as Sri Lanka looks to emerge from its worst economic crisis in more than seven decades."When you see the staff level agreement published – that will contain our commitment to debt restructuring and that will also reveal medium-term debt targets for us to restore debt sustainability on a long-term basis," central bank Governor P. Nandalal Weerasinghe said on Thursday."So somewhere in April we will announce … how we are going to meet those medium-to-long-term (debt) targets.

The 29% who thought it was over at that time gave way to a less optimistic 18% by the fall, as a spike in infections from the delta variant heightened public worry. Since then, optimism has mostly only inched higher, rising to 34% last spring and to 44% in October before reaching 49% today.Yet, a quarter of Americans still report they are very (3%) or somewhat (22%) worried they could catch the virus.

An exciting minor hockey playoff game Sunday ended on a sour note at the Terwillegar Recreation Centre in southwest Edmonton, resulting in several suspensions and condemnations.

A Hong Kong runner has completed Sri Lanka’s 22-day Pekoe Trail in just 58 hours.Sri Lanka holds a special place in Hyun Chang Chung’s heart and with an emotional connection in mind the decided to run the newly minted 300-kilometre Pekoe Trail.When he heard an old acquaintance had designed a multi-day trail route to help promote tourism in Sri Lanka, Chung’s ears pricked up.The trail is split into 22 stages, each designed to take one day. But Hong Kong-based Chung, just 49 year-old, finished it in just 58 hours.The Pekoe Trail is a 300km hiking route that connects tea plantations across the country.

Volleys of Russian missiles struck a series of Ukrainian regions early on Thursday, including the Black Sea port of Odesa and the second city of Kharkiv, knocking out power to several areas, regional officials said.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Lanka Sathosa has reduced the prices of seven grocery items with effect from Thursday (9). One kilogram of Dried Chili has been reduced by Rs. 75/- to Rs.

the couple announced they had split in 2017. Watch Below: Ben Stiller Calls Daughter Ella, 16, 'Beautiful' After Their Golden Globes 2019 DateFive years later the parents made headlines when announcing they had reunited, and now they're revealing how they made their way back to each other. The answer? The coronavirus pandemic, which forced them to quarantine together as a family. The couple rekindled their relationship in February 2022.“We had all this time to talk,” shared Christine on Drew Barrymore’s talk show. “There were no other distractions. It was a really special time.” Now celebrating three years together, the actress explained that although spending “time apart” had been vital for the couple, they had always prioritised family time. "We always stayed a family unit [and] continued to do things together,” she said.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Six university students who were arrested during Wednesday (8) night's protest at the Kelaniya University will be produced to the Mahara Magistrate on Thursday (9).Sri Lanka Police fired tear gas and water cannons to disperse a group of university students at the Kelaniya University premises. This protest commenced at around 9 PM on Wednesday (8).This protest was organized against the arrest of Student Leader Kelum Mudannayake, and Student Activist Dilshan Harshana, and the students demanded their immediate release.Though tear gas and water cannons were used multiple times to disperse the protesting students, they continued to engage in the protest until midnight.One lane along the Colombo – Kandy main road was completely blocked due to the protest, disrupting the movement of traffic.

The children of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will now be referred to as prince and princess after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex made public that they are claiming the royal titles.

PHILADELPHIA - A Philadelphia firefighter who was badly hurt when he fell from the roof of a rowhome while battling a fire was released from the hospital on Wednesday. Officials say Ladder 13 firefighter Randy Ballinger was working with his colleagues to extinguish a rowhome fire on the 1100 block of South Paxon Street on Feb.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilization, and National Policies on Wednesday (8) issued an Order to waive the remaining balance of the Special Commodity Levy on imported Dates in view of the Ramadan festival.The levy, set at Rs. 200 per Kg, will be collected at a reduced rate of Rs.

inflation and are doing everything they can to keep prices low for Canadians, pinning the blame on suppliers and the global market.But many MPs on the House of Commons agriculture committee were not buying what the CEOs were selling, repeatedly asking the executives to square rising profits with grocery costs that are forcing families to make hard choices at the checkout aisle.“How much profit is too much profit?” asked NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, who has made food inflation and alleged “greedflation” by grocers a top issue for his party.“Is there no limit to how much profit you can make on the backs of Canadians that are struggling because they can’t afford their groceries?”“Reasonable profitability is an important part of operating a successful business,” said Loblaw Companies CEO Galen Weston Jr., who stated several times during his testimony that his company makes $1 in profit for every $25 sold.Singh, who’s not a regular member of the committee, advertised his showdown with Weston in a slate of social-media posts ahead of the meeting.Weston appeared alongside Metro Inc. CEO Eric La Fleche and Michael Medline, CEO of Empire Co., which operates chains including Sobeys, Safeway and FreshCo.All three companies and their executives have been increasingly under scrutiny for the prices of the food on their shelves.While headline inflation has shown signs of cooling in recent months, prices for food purchased from the grocery store were again up 11.4 per cent in January, according to Statistics Canada.An analysis from Dalhousie University’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab published in November found all three top grocers beat their five-year averages for profit in the first half of 2022, with Loblaw beating its previous best results

 Sri Lanka’s rupee, which became the world’s best performing currency this year amid hopes of an International Monetary Fund bailout, may resume declines and lose a fifth of its value against the dollar by end-2023, according to Fitch Solutions.“We are optimistic that Sri Lanka will be able to secure an IMF board approval by early 2Q-2023,” said Seah Wang Ting, country risk analyst at Fitch Solutions. Nevertheless, there’s potential for disruptions after the initial board approval as authorities may find it challenging to stay on track with the IMF program amid a weakening economy and a local election likely on the horizon, he said.Fitch maintained its forecast for the rupee to weaken to a record low of 390 per dollar by year-end.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka's National Election Commission has informed the Supreme Court that it is likely that it would not be able to conduct the Local Government Election on the 9th of March 2023 as planned. The National Election Commission made this notification via a motion on Monday (20).The NEC on the 18th of January, and 10th of February gave an undertaking that it has taken steps according to the law to conduct the 2023 Local Government Election, and that it will continue to take steps according to the law to conduct the said election.However, the NEC had noted that after the said undertaking, circumstances have arisen which would prevent the Elections Commission from acting according to the circumstances entirely beyond the control of the Elections Commission.The motion filed by the NEC noted that the Treasury Secretary had informed he is unable to provide the necessary funds to conduct the said election.Furthermore, the Government Printer has informed the Elections Commission that she is unable to release the ballot papers for the elections until a sum of Rs.

COLOMBO (News 1st); A writ application filed by Retired Sri Lanka Army Colonel W. M.

COLOMBO (News 1st); A writ application filed by Retired Sri Lanka Army Colonel W. M.

China’s alleged attempts to interfere in the vote.Speaking to Mercedes Stephenson on The West Block Sunday, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino pointed to the panel’s findings that the 2019 and 2021 elections were free and fair. But he didn’t clearly answer whether the panel ever saw intelligence that recent media reports have said warned of attempts by China at election interference.“We’ve always been up front with the fact that there is foreign interference, that we need to be eyes wide open and vigilant about (it),” he said.“Did that panel have access to these intelligence reports? Were they aware of what CSIS was aware of?” Stephenson asked.“Our nonpartisan, professional public servants look at the information that they need to make the assessment around the integrity of the election,” Mendicino replied.

Colombo (News1st) – The Bar Assocation of Sri Lanka has charged that there is a concerted effort to prevent elections, to undermine the franchise of the people, and endanger the sovereignty of the people of Sri Lanka.FULL STATEMENT:"The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) expresses its deep concern over recent attempts by state authorities to disrupt the Local Authorities Elections, which are mandated by law to be held prior to March 19th, 2023. The BASL emphasizes that all elections are a vital part of Sri Lanka's democratic process and must not be hindered.The BASL notes several decisions by the government in recent weeks, purportedly aimed at managing public funds, have had the effect of preventing the Elections Commission from conducting the elections.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The National Election Commission announced on Friday (17) that Postal Voting for the 2023 Local Government Election will not go ahead as scheduled.Postal Voting for the Local Government Election was expected to take place on the 22nd, 23rd and 24th of February.Commissioner General of Elections Saman Sri Ratnayake in a statement said that Postal Voting for the 2023 Local Government Election was postponed indefinitely as the Government Printer had failed to deliver the Postal Voting ballot papers on time.The new dates for Postal Voting will be announced laters, said the Commissioner General of Elections. 

 

ATLANTA - The Fulton County special grand jury investigating whether then-President Donald Trump and his allies illegally tried to overturn his electoral defeat in Georgia says they found that there was "no widespread fraud" in the state's 2020 presidential election.The report’s introduction and conclusion, along with a section in which the grand jurors expressed concerns that some witnesses may have lied under oath, were released Thursday. But any recommendations on potential criminal charges will remain under wraps for now.For nearly eight months, the grand jury has considered evidence and heard testimony from dozens of witnesses, including high-profile Trump associates and top state officials. While the special grand jury, by law, cannot indict anyone, the jurors voted to have their findings made public.In the introduction, the special grand jury states that they received evidence or heard from 75 witnesses during the investigation.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Postal Voting for the upcoming Local Government Election will go ahead as planned on the 22nd, 23rd, and 24th of February 2023, confirmed the Chairman of the National Election Commission Attorney Nimal Punchihewa on Wednesday (15).He said that the distribution of the ballot papers for Postal Voting was delayed, though the distribution process was scheduled to commence on Tuesday (14).However, the Government Printer said that an issue arose regarding the provision of the ballot papers for the Postal Vote due to funding issues.In the meantime, the National Election Commission and the Government Printer had engaged in a series of talks and based on those discussions the Government Printers is expected to deliver the ballot papers for postal voting in the coming days.Moreover, Election Monitors have decided to take legal action against the conduct of the Government Printer for failing to deliver the ballot papers.Election Monitors said that the Government Printer has taken an unconstitutional decision to not deliver the ballot papers.Rohana Hettiarachchi, the Executive Director of the People's Action for Free & Fair Elections (PAFFREL) said the National Election Commission must also take legal action against the Government Printer.Secure packages containing the ballot papers for postal voting were to be handed over to Sri Lanka Post on Wednesday (15), however as the ballot papers were not delivered, the process was suspended indefinitely as per a decision reached by the National Election Commission on Tuesday (14). 

COLOMBO (News 1st); The National Election Commission has informed the Political Party Secretaries that it will not be able to direct the ballot papers for Postal Voting tomorrow (15), as previously planned. This was revealed by the Secretaries of the Political Parties who met with the National Election Commission on Tuesday (14) morning.Earlier, Chairman of the National Election Commission Attorney Nimal Punchihewa speaking to News 1st said that the current state of affairs surrounding the election will be discussed at the meeting. Election Monitors were also summoned for this meeting.The Secretaries of the Political Parties  revealed that the National Election Commission is yet to decide on whether or not the Local Government Election will be held on the 9th of March 2023. They also noted that the National Election Commission is likely to face an issue concerning the Ballot Papers required for postal voting.Palitha Range Bandara, the General Secretary for the United National Party told reporters that the UNP has never called for a delay in elections."How can one even ask for funds from President Ranil Wickremesinghe, after he took over a country that was literally bankrupt," he told the media while leaving the National Election Commission premises.He said that based on the meeting with the NEC it is likely the election would be delayed."If the government says it does not have the funds, if the Government Printer says it cannot print the ballot papers without payment, it is the National Election Commission that needs to decide on the matter," he added.Ranjith Madduma Bandara, the General Secretary of the Samagi Jana Balavegaya told reporters that the National Election Commission had given an undertaking to go ahead with

COLOMBO (News 1st); The National Election Commission said that around 30,000 applications for postal voting for the upcoming Local Government Election were rejected.The NEC said a majority of the applicants had submitted incomplete applications.It added that approximately 675,000 applications were submitted for postal voting for the 2023 Local Government Election.The secure packages containing the postal vote ballot papers will be handed over to the Department of Posts on the 15th of February, and the official ballot papers for the election will be handed over on the 19th of February.Approximately 200,000 state employees will be assigned to election duty.Postal voting for the 2023 Local Government Election will take place on the 22nd, 23rd, and 24th of February.

Colombo (News1st) – Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana says the letter submitted by a group of Parliamentarians stating that the National Election Commission violated their privileges, will be forwarded to the Committee on Parliamentary Business.He stated it will be submitted to the Parliamentary Privileges Committee based on the decision taken by the party leaders.The Speaker said the Parliamentary Privileges Committee has not yet been appointed for the new Parliament session.The Speaker said therefore the letter will be presented at the next party leaders meeting.He added, a group of MPs submitted the letter to him on Thursday (9).