In a dramatic twist following the local government elections, the Colombo Municipal Council is heading into a decisive internal vote to elect its next Mayor and Deputy Mayor after no single party secured an outright majority.
The Local Government Commissioner has officially announced that the election to determine the leadership of the Colombo Municipal Council will take place on June 2.
The unusual move comes after final vote counts revealed that no political party gained more than 50% of the seats, making it impossible to appoint a mayor through the standard process.
As a result, an open council election will now determine who takes the powerful Mayor’s seat in Sri Lanka’s most high-profile municipal body. Both government and opposition factions are in overdrive, lobbying council members and attempting to form coalitions to claim control of the council leadership.
The internal vote promises to be fiercely contested, with the balance of power hanging on just a few swing members. Whoever garners the support of the majority of council members during this showdown will walk away with the mayoral title and significant influence over the country’s economic capital.
As the political stakes continue to rise, Colombo is set for a high-stakes battle where every vote could tip the scales.
