Parliamentarian M.L.A.M. Hizbullah has been elected chairman of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), Hiru News reported.
The appointment was confirmed at a meeting of the party’s Supreme Council held in Eravur, in the Batticaloa District, where he was formally nominated and unanimously chosen for the role.
What the post is — and is not
The chairmanship of the SLMC is a party office distinct from the party leadership, and Hiru News does not report any change to the leadership. The report concerns the chairmanship alone.
Holding the Supreme Council meeting in Eravur places the decision in the party’s eastern base rather than in Colombo. The SLMC’s electoral strength has historically been concentrated in the Eastern Province and Batticaloa in particular, and Hizbullah’s own political career is rooted there.
A party in a period of change
The election comes days after the SLMC lost a parliamentary seat: National List MP M.S. Abdul Wahid resigned with effect from September 14, and the Election Commission was notified of the vacancy under the Parliamentary Elections Act. Hiru News does not connect the two events, and no link between them has been reported.
Hizbullah appeared before the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption in August to record a statement in an inquiry into his assets and liabilities. No allegation against him has been made public, and appearing before the commission to record a statement does not indicate any finding of wrongdoing. The report on his election does not mention the inquiry.
Not reported
Hiru News does not say who previously held the chairmanship or why the position changed hands, whether the post was contested, how many Supreme Council members attended, or what the term of office runs to. It gives no statement from Hizbullah himself and no indication of what, if anything, the change signals for the party’s alignment in Parliament.
Single-source note. No other verified newsroom’s own report on the election could be dated within the freshness window at the time of writing.
