UNP sacks 1,137 councillors for joining SJB

The Working Committee of the United National Party (UNP) yesterday unanimously decided to remove the party membership of 1,137 councillors of Local Government institutions who had contested and elected to these institutions under the UNP in 2018.

The decision has been taken as they had supported another political party after being elected at the Local Government Poll in 2018. They have also handed over nominations for this year’s Local Government Election from other political parties for all the 341 institutions.

Some of the removed members had requested an opportunity to present excuses, but the request has been declined by the Working Committee, headed by President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

It was reported that the UNP has planned to replace the sacked members with another 1, 137 members as the tenure of the local government institutions has not expired.