Sri Lanka to hold local election after getting guarantee on funds from Treasury: Election Commission chair

Sri Lanka’s election commission on Monday said that new date for cash-strapped country's local election will be announced after receiving a guarantee from Treasury on funds required to hold it.

local body polls scheduled for March 9 were postponed due to a plethora of reasons linked to country’s current economic crisis.

“We have asked to meet Treasury Secretary, inspector general of police and government printer," chair of independent Election Commission Nimal Punchihewa said on Monday.

new date will be announced with a guarantee from Treasury on money required to hold it.

meeting follows last week’s order by Supreme Court on Secretary Treasury to release budgetary allocation me for conducting of poll for 340 local councils in 2023 budget.

election to appoint new ministrations to 340 local councils for a four-year term has been postponed since March last year due to ongoing economic crisis.

election scheduled for March 9 and postal voting scheduled for February 22, 23 and 24 did not take place as government printer was not able to print ballot papers for postal voting.

main opposition SJB went to Supreme Court seeking a court order on officials to cooperate with Election Commission to hold poll.

Elections Commission said new date for poll would be announced this week after having necessary consultations with relevant officials.

SJB alleged that President Ranil Wickremesinghe was bearing pressure as minister of finance to block money required for poll as Wickremesinghe feared losing poll.

finance minister has given strict orders on which money should be spent given economic crisis island nation is currently going through.

“ Commission can decide on date mselves, no need to consult anyone”, opposition legislator Vijitha Herath said.

He said opposition parties have jointly written to Commission to act independently and conduct election.

Sri Lanka was hit by an unprecedented financial crisis in 2022, worst since its independence from Britain in 1948, due to a severe paucity of foreign exchange reserves, sparking political turmoil in country which led to ouster of all-powerful Rajapaksa family.