Mar 22, Colombo: Opposition Leader of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremasinghe says the Northern Provincial Council elections should be held earlier than government scheduled.

He told parliament that his United National Party (UNP) welcomed the government undertaking to hold the Northern Provincial Council elections and allowing the people in the North to elect their own representatives soon would help bring about real reconciliation.

The government has said the election for the Northern Provincial Council, which currently does not have an elected administration system, will be held by September 2013.

It would be the first time provincial council elections would be held in the North after the provincial council system was introduced in 1987 following the Indo-Lanka Accord.

According to Wickremasinghe, people in the North must be allowed to live with dignity since he has witnessed firsthand the suffering of the people.

Wickremasinghe reiterated that the UNP is willing to co-operate with the government to implement the recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC).