Vraie Cally Balthazaar Elected Colombo Mayor

Vraie Cally Balthazaar of the National People’s Power (NPP) has been elected as the new Mayor of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) following a secret ballot held during the council’s inaugural session today.

Balthazaar secured 61 votes in the 117-member council, defeating Riza Zarook of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), who received 54 votes.

The vote followed nearly an hour of heated debate over the election procedure, with the NPP and opposition parties eventually agreeing to proceed with a secret ballot.

In the May 6 Local Government Election, the NPP won 48 seats in the CMC, while the SJB secured 29 seats.