Sri Lanka Election Commissioner agrees to invite election monitors for Northern PC election
Sat, Jun 15, 2013, 08:53 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

June 15, Colombo: Sri Lanka's Election Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya has expressed agreement to a suggestion by the main opposition United National Party (UNP) to invite international monitors to observe the Northern Provincial Council elections.
Addressing the media following a meeting with the Election Commissioner Friday at the Election Secretariat, the General Secretary of the UNP, MP Tissa Attanayake said the Commissioner told the leaders of the opposition political parties that he would focus on arranging to invite foreign observers.
UNP leaders met the Election Commissioner to discuss the three main demands the opposition Leader Ranil Wickremasinghe introduced recently for the government to implement before holding the Northern PC election that is scheduled for September this year.
The UNP asked the government to reinstate the 17th Amendment which establishes the independent commissions, appoint a civilian governor to the Northern Province instead of the current retired military governor and to invite independent international observers for the election.
The Election Commissioner has said that he believes it is appropriate to invite Asian or Commonwealth officers. However he has expressed doubts on inviting election observers from European Union.
Deshapriya has said that he would discuss the idea with the government and arrange appropriate measures to invite election monitors.

UNP MPs Ravi Karunanayaka and Joseph Michael Perera also participated in the discussion with the Commissioner.