Commissioners and secretaries of local government bodies are to be vested with the task of running LG bodies once their term ends on March 19, confirms Local Government Ministry sources.
However, that is a contravention of the law as per a Supreme Court ruling given five years ago.
The related verdict SC/FR35/2016 was delivered on December 15, 2017 on a FR petition filed by a group of ex-Pradeshiya Sabha members in Matara.
It declares the petitioners’ fundamental rights were infringed by permitting the secretaries of the urban councils and Pradeshiya Sabhas to exercise, perform and discharge rights, privileges, powers, duties and functions of the chairman and deputy chairman of urban councils and Pradeshiya Sabhas.