The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake

¶ 01 Hon. Speaker, several petitions were filed in the Supreme Court against the Provincial Councils Elections (Special Provisions) Bill. The Constitution itself prescribes the time-frame for the Court to deliver its determination. If no challenge had been filed, following the First Reading on 09 January, it would have remained for 14 days on the Order Paper, ending on 23 January 2025, allowing debate and passage on 24 January. But since petitions were filed, the Constitution sets a deadline. The Supreme Court may deliver on any day up to the last permissible day, which is 14 February 2025. Depending on when you receive it, the Bill could be debated around 18 or 19 February.

¶ 02 After passage and certification by you, only then can the Election Commission issue the notice of poll. Nominations must be accepted within 14 to 21 days thereafter. If the determination is received on 14 February, nominations would likely fall on March 04, 05, 06 and 07, up to noon. The law then permits a 35-to-49-day campaign period. The 49th day would be 24 April. Therefore, if there had been no cases, an early-April poll was possible; with cases to the last date, a late-April poll is possible. That is all we clarified publicly, under the Constitution and the law.

¶ 03 As you said, you have not received the determination; by law, the Supreme Court has time until 14 February to communicate it.