Govt. fails as no LG polls on 9 March

• Election Commission informs Supreme Court move is due to non-provision of necessary facilities by State officials
• In motion before the SC, the EC highlights obstacles it faced at the hands of State officials who failed to provide requested support to hold LG polls as scheduled
• Says Treasury Secretary informed he is unable to provide funds necessary to hold polls
• Claims IGP submitted an estimate of costs three times more than in previous elections and he also failed to provide security to Government Printing Department despite requests
• Tells SC that Government Printer requested Rs. 410 m upfront to release ballot papers
• Submits documentation proof to SC to back up these claims

The Election Commission of Sri Lanka (EC) has gone back on its assurance to the Supreme Court to hold local Government elections on 9 March as scheduled.

The EC by way of a motion yesterday informed the apex court that it is unlikely it would be able to hold the polls on 9 March as planned previously given the current situation.

The EC on two previous occasions, namely 18 January and 10 February had through the counsel appearing for them, Saliya Peiris PC made an undertaking before the Supreme Court that it would take all necessary legal steps to hold the vote on the given date. Giving reasons for the inability to go ahead with the vote, in its motion, the EC noted that the Treasury Secretary had informed he is unable to provide the necessary funds to conduct the said election.

The EC also said Government Printer Gangani Liyanage has informed them that she is unable to release the ballot papers for the elections until a sum of Rs. 410.6 million is paid upfront to the Department of Government Printing. The EC noted that the Police Inspector General C.D. Wickramaratne had not only failed to provide security to the process of printing ballot papers despite requests but had also requested funds to provide police services for the polls. The EC said the amount requested is three times more than the sum provided to the Sri Lankan Police during the last election.

The National Election Commission noted that though other relevant Government institutions were also informed to provide fuel, vehicles and other facilities required for the local Government election, however, those requests have been ignored as well.

The National Election Commission in its motion to the Supreme Court also filed documents as evidence to prove that the Treasury Secretary, Power and Energy Secretary, Government Printer, Inspector General of Police, Ceylon Electricity Board Chairman, and Ceylon Petroleum Corporation Chairman among others had not provided the facilities required for the upcoming election. 

Accordingly, the EC has now been forced to postpone the postal vote, which was scheduled to be held on 22, 23 and 24 February and now the local Government poll that was planned for 9 March.