Hakeem resigns Eastern Province Provincial Council seat
SLMC Leader Rauff Hakeem resigned from his post as opposition leader and member of the Eastern Provincial Council (EPC) yesterday to return to Parliament. Accordingly, he will be sworn in as an MP before Speaker W.J.M. Lokubandara.
The SLMC leader resigned from Parliament in April to contest the EP-PC elections on the UNP ticket. He was elected to the council, securing the highest number of preferential votes in the Trincomalee district. Along with him, MPs Hassan Ali and Basheer Segudawood also resigned from their parliamentary seats to the contest the polls. Mr. Ali is also expected to resign from the council and re-enter Parliament. It is believed that Mr. Segudawood will then be appointed as the EPC’s opposition leader.
Mr. Razik Fareed of Mutur, who is next in line by way of preferential votes, in the UNP-SLMC Trincomalee district list, is expected to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Mr. Hakeem.