2 councils in Sri Lanka's former war zone to go to polls on February 28

COLOMBO: Two local councils in the former Tamil Tigers-ruled northern province in Sri Lanka will go to polls on February 28.

Chief Election Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya today announced that the elections will be held in the Puthukudyiruppu (PTK) and Martimepattu councils in the northern Mullaithivu district.

The elections at the two councils could not be held in 2011 after a plea was filed in a court citing incompletion of the resettlement of displaced person in the war between the security forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

The court case has come to a close recently. A large number of people from the area were among the nearly 3,00,000 civilians who had fled to safety when the final battles raged between the LTTE and the Army in 2009.

PTK served as the LTTE's military nerve centre throughout their separatist campaign.