The primary reason for the protest by the councils is the proposed new election system in selecting the Diyawadana Nilame of the Sri Dalada Maligawa (The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic).

By the proposed new election system the voting rights of the Specific Sub District Secretaries has been annulled.

In addition, the request made by the councils to grant voting rights to around 16,000 Amarapura and Ramagna Nikaya sect monks had also been refused by the Department of Buddhist Affairs.