LG poll not on 9 March; official EC decision today

The Local Government (LG) poll will not be held on 9 March 2023 as scheduled, well placed sources told The Daily Morning yesterday (23). 

It is understood that this is due to the current situation that has arisen as a result of the lack of funds provided by the Treasury for the LG poll. 

When contacted by The Daily Morning yesterday to inquire as to whether the date of the poll had been changed or postponed, Election Commission (EC) Chairman Attorney Nimal G. Punchihewa said that a decision in this regard will be taken today (24).

On 21 January, the EC announced that the LG poll would be held on 9 March 2023. 

Treasury and Finance Ministry Secretary Mahinda Siriwardana had informed the EC on 17 February of the difficulties in funding the said poll. The Treasury notified the lack of sufficient funds, and that they are bound by certain decisions of the Cabinet of Ministers. The Cabinet had taken two decisions, one on expenses being only for essential services such as salaries, pensions, medicines, etc., and the second to not pay for any other additional services without the approval of the relevant subject Minister. 

President Ranil Wickremesinghe, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilisation, and National Policies, had instructed the Treasury Secretary to only provide provisions for essential Government expenses. The list of expenditures to be funded include salaries, debt servicing, pensions, medical supplies for hospitals, subsidies for low-income groups, scholarships, farmers’ pensions, school nutrition programmes, payments for war heroes and disabled soldiers, utility payments, and food supplies for hospitals and prisons, among others. However, elections were excluded.

Moreover, the Government Printer Gangani Liyanage has informed the EC of the requirement of funds for the printing of ballot papers and the need for Police security during the printing of the same.