The Island:
KANDY – If women were denied at least 25 percent nominations at the forthcoming local government elections, the Central Province Women’s Forum (CPWF) will campaign against women casting their vote.
This decision was taken at a meeting of the Central Province Women’s Forum on Sunday 16.
A large number of applicants for nominations for the local government elections attended the meeting.
Many expressed doubt about getting nominations despite some of them having been interviewed.
They said on principle it was accepted that a quota of 25 percent was granted to women at the nominations.
If this was denied, it was unanimously decided to launch a house to house campaign urging women to refrain from casting their vote at the election.
The meeting also decided to appeal to women islandwide to boycott voting if women were denied the accepted quota of 25 percent nominations.
The meeting also resolved to remove the age limit of 55 years for women to receive nominations.
The age ceiling is not at all justifiable, they claimed.
Chairman Central Province Women’s Forum (CPWF) Professor (Ms) Kanda Liyanage and Dr. (Ms) Sobana Rajendra, both of the University of Peradeniya and Devika Kodituwakku, Girty Somapala, Tharanga Kaikawala, B. K. Abeyratne an M. Wasanthie were among the speakers.