Will not hesitate to take legal action

Against any attempt by anyone to undermine the EC

By Sandun Jayasekara   

The main opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) yesterday sounded alarm that the government has not given up its clandestine moves to sabotage the conduct of the Local Council (LC) polls as yet and added if the Treasury or the Finance Ministry has the audacity to further delay releasing funds to the Election Commission, the SJB would take legal action against the unethical and illegal move.   

The chief opposition whip and senior vice president of the SJB Lakshman Kiriella said after exhausting all the coward and covert tactics to undermine the Election Commission (EC) preventing the conduct of the LC election, the government has now resorted to hold back enough funds to the EC.  

A final decision would be taken after the discussion with the Election Commission by General Secretaries of political parties scheduled to be held this morning on the issue, he added.  
The failure to release sufficient funds to the EC is tantamount to contempt of court, violation of the Constitution and infringement of right to vote of the people, he stressed.   
“I would like to remind the government that the Finance Ministry and the Treasury have a statutory responsibility to release ample funds to the EC from the Rs. 10 billion budgetary allocation of 2023 with no delay. Now that the EC has given an undertaking to the Supreme Court that the LC election would be held on March 9th as scheduled, no one can sabotage the conduct of the LC election or the EC. Legal action against such attempt by anyone or any establishment is imminent,” Kiriella emphasized.  

The SJB as the main opposition was able to obtain a legal clearance for the EC to hold the LC polls free from any interference. Therefore, we will not hesitate to take legal action against any attempt by anyone to undermine the EC, Kiriella told Daily Mirror.  

Therefore, those who still try to prevent the EC from conducting the LC election must be ready for the consequences, Kiriella stressed.