Election Monitors call on Treasury to release funds for LG polls

Monday, 13 February 2023 00:18 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Treasury Secretary Mahinda Siriwardana

Several election monitoring organisations have written to Treasury Secretary Mahinda Siriwardana calling on him to release the funds requested by the Election Commission of Sri Lanka to make the necessary preparations for the upcoming Local Government election.

The communique has been sent by People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections, Centre for Monitoring Election Violence, Campaign for Free and Fair Elections, Transparency International, Institute for Democratic Reforms and Electoral Studies and several others.

The monitoring organisations requested the treasury provide the election commission with the support needed to hold elections which is one of the basic elements of the people’s sovereignty. Speaking at a media briefing on the matter, People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) Director Rohana Hettiarachchi said Treasury would be violating the constitution if the treasury fails to release the necessary funding.

“Voting is a democratic right of the people. It is up to the EC to protect this right and facilitate its exercise. If any state sector employee fails to adhere to the directives of the EC then he is in violation of the constitution,” he noted. “Therefore we call on the Treasury to release the requested Rs. 300 million in the next two days,” he added.