Delayed election is delayed democracy

Despite the Government’s claims that it has no fear of elections and that the public still has faith in its capabilities, the indefinite postponement of the postal voting ballot paper distribution of the upcoming Local Government (LG) election, caused by the delay in providing funds for election preparations, could reasonably be interpreted as a sign that the Government is actively attempting to derail the election process. 

This development comes against the backdrop of much of the Opposition highlighting the Government’s trepidation and alleging for months that the Government would make underhand attempts until the last possible moment, to delay the election for as long as possible.

In fact, the current administration led by President Ranil Wickremesinghe, which consists mostly of members of the former Government led by then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and then-Prime Minister and incumbent Government MP Mahinda Rajapaksa, is inarguably one of the most unpopular governments since Independence. While Wickremesinghe has gradually lost popularity over many years, members of the former Rajapaksa Government have earned the wrath of the people due to their roles in the creation of the economic crisis that erupted in 2022. Facing even an LG election under such circumstances is disadvantageous to the Government, a reality the Government cannot hide from. 

However, the myriad reasons for the Government to fear elections do not justify any attempts to postpone elections, as they are meant to provide the people with the opportunity to exercise their voting right and choose who represents them. Therefore, regardless of the prevailing circumstances, the Government is duty-bound to prioritise the people’s interests over its own and ensure that the conduct of the LG election is properly facilitated.

According to the Government, the main challenge that the LG election is facing is the lack of funds. Even though the Government has not directly stated that it is unable to fund the election, it has put forth funding as a monumental challenge on numerous occasions. However, if this is actually the reason for the potential postponement of postal voting, the Government should look into measures that could be taken to overcome this challenge. For example, if the Government is not in a position to provide funds for the election, it could look into providing as many non-financial resources as possible. As a temporary measure, it could also utilise funds that have been allocated for other, non-urgent initiatives. What’s more, as some political commentators have said, obtaining international assistance to conduct the LG election could also be possible because conducting elections on time is part of strengthening democracy, which the Western world has encouraged in countries such as Sri Lanka over the years. 

However, the voting public has not witnessed any significant action being taken by the Government apart from lamenting the challenge in funding the LG election. This raises doubts regarding whether the unavailability of funds is a genuine reason or an exaggerated claim to conceal the Government’s unwillingness to face the LG election. If it is an exaggerated claim, it is a serious violation of the people’s right to participate in the democratic process, and this failure or unwillingness to facilitate the LG election will be yet another black mark on the Government. Worse yet, it could push an agitated public on to the streets as their franchise has been denied and their opportunity to vent their frustration at the ballot box has been taken away, resulting in chaotic scenes reminiscent of mid-2022. 

Therefore, President Ranil Wickremesinghe and the Government must understand that holding on to power by delaying elections undemocratically would only serve to lower its approval rating, which is not too different from losing elections.