The Local Government elections will be held by March 20 next year, the National Elections Commission said.

Its Commissioner General Saman Sri Rathnayake said the elected members will also be announced through the Gazette before March 20 so that the new council sessions can be held immediately.

There were various reports that the local government election cannot be held on March 20 following the appointment of a commission for the delimitation of local government divisions.

However, the Commission’s Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya recently said that the appointment of the Commission is not an obstacle to holding the election before March 20.

The number of local government bodies operating in the country is 341