• It is impossible to carry out election duties and routine work of the commission without further funding from the government

By Sandun A Jayasekera  

The Election Commission (EC) has been able to manage the election expenses up to now with available funds but it is impossible to carry out election duties and routine work of the commission without further funding from the government, its Chairman Nimal G. Punchihewa said yesterday.  

Asked by this newspaper as to what would be the scenario if the Treasury did not release funds to the EC, Mr. Punchihewa said the EC was keenly awaiting the Supreme Court ruling after the inquiry of FR petitions filed for and against the conduct of the LG polls. 

  The Supreme Court will resume inquiries on FR petitions on March 10.   

The Election Commission (EC) expects the Treasury to release funds for the Local Government polls this week in response to a request made to the secretary to the Treasury to release Rs. 770 million for the election expenses for the month of February, Mr. Punchihewa said.   

“The EC wrote to Treasury Secretary, Mahinda Siriwardana on Friday (3) with a request to release Rs. 770 million for the election related expenses for the month of February. We expect a positive response from the Treasury on the matter this week,” Mr. Punchihewa told Daly Mirror yesterday.   

The EC will have to write to the Treasury once again to release funds for the month of March, he added.  
The EC has in many instances said that it needs only Rs. 5 billion to conclude the LG polls out of Rs. 10 billion allocated for the EC from budget 2023.

Considering the situation in the country, the EC in a move to control election expenses has decided to hold the LG polls on a week day, restrict the number of officers for election duty to the minimum possible and limit payments for allowances to election officials, he noted.   Mr. Punchihewa expressed his disappointment and indignation on the failure of the Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Governments Ministry to take action against local council members who misuse state assets for election propaganda.