By Saman Indrajith – The Island
All Ceylon Muslim Congress Leader and Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen yesterday said that his party would vote against the Local Authorities Elections (Amendment) bill.
Participating in the debate on the bill, the minister said that the provisions contained in the bill were detrimental to the interests of minority communities and therefore his party could not vote for it. If the local government elections were to be held according to the draft bill’s provisions, it would cause injustice to the Muslim people, the minister said.
Minister Bathiudeen said that he had taken up the matter with the Prime Minister and the latter had promised to look into it and give an acceptable solution.
“We hope the Prime Minister will give a solution or we will vote against the bill,” Bathiudeen said
Leader of All Ceylon Makkal Congress