• Elections Commission Chairman Nimal Punchihewa claims no delay in issuing nominations Gazette; says first week of January found to be most ideal according to calculations
• EC General Saman Sri Ratnayake assures necessary funds for polls already been allocated
• Costs to be kept at minimum and total expected expenditure set at Rs. 10 b

By Maneshka Borham

Despite the suspicions and doubts raised by various persons and parties, the Election Commission has assured the long-delayed Local Government polls will be held before 10 March 2023.

Elections Commission of Sri Lanka (ECSL) Chairman Nimal Punchihewa said the ECSL will issue the Gazette notification calling nominations to elect 8,327 members for 24 Municipal Councils, 41 Urban Councils and 276 Pradeshiya Sabhas before 5 January, and the vote will be held prior to 10 March. The term of office of around 340 local government bodies is scheduled to end on 20 March 2023.

Previously, Punchihewa had told the media the Gazette notification calling for nominations will be issued in the final week of December.

However, refuting reports, the EC was attempting to delay the polls by putting off the publication of the Gazette to the month of January, Punchihewa said there was no delay as claimed. “There is no delay. The Gazette will be issued in the first week of January,” he told the Daily FT yesterday.

Explaining the decision to issue the Gazette in January instead of December as previously announced, Punchihewa said it was determined through calculations done on the stipulated days needed to call for nominations, handing over of nominations, campaigning and other activities that the first week of January was most suitable for the purpose.

The nominations will be accepted by relevant district returning officers from registered political parties and independent groups on the 14th day of notice of nomination until noon of the following day.

The 2022 electoral register that has just been completed by the ECSL will be used for the upcoming Local Government polls. The total number of registered voters eligible to vote are 16,692,398. Around 200,000 officials will be deployed for election duties.

Meanwhile, the election is expected to cost around Rs. 10 billion with the ECSL determined to keep costs at a minimum. The Election Commissioner General Saman Sri Ratnayake this week confirmed the treasury had allocated the necessary funds. Ratnayake attending a meeting organised by local election monitors People’s Action for Free & Fair Elections (PAFFREL) in Nuwara Eliya this week said the Government has not communicated any difficulty to provide the funds needed to hold the polls.

Documents already prepared to seek legal redress if polls delayed: PAFFREL