EC rules out possibility to conduct polls on March 9

• Will decide on fresh dates on March 3
• Seeks Speaker’s intervention to get financial allocations 
• the government has not released money

By Kelum Bandara   

The Election Commission which met yesterday ruled out the possibility of conducting the local authorities’ elections on March 9, 2023 due to inability to print ballot papers and other reasons, an official said.   The Commission is constrained in proceeding with logical arrangements for the conduct of the elections because the government has not released money. 

Normally, financial allocations are required to pay for printing ballot papers, transportation of ballot boxes, payment for public servants assigned to poll duties. An official said the Commission will meet on March 3 to decide on fresh dates. 

Also, the Commission decided to request Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana to intervene in getting sufficient funds released to conduct the elections.