If I was there I would know how to bat : Deshapriya

• The commission said that there is no fuel due to the QR code and ballot papers could not be printed and police officers could not be deployed due to the lack of funds

By D. G. Sugathapala - Unawatuna   

“The election has been postponed. Now all that is left for the commission is to issue the gazette postponing the election similar to issuing a death certificate,’’ former Election Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya said yesterday (22) in Galle.   

He said so while answering the questions asked by the media following a discussion held at the Galle District Secretariat.   

When asked for the reasons why the election was postponed, he said that the commission said that there is no fuel due to the QR code and ballot papers could not be printed and police officers could not be deployed due to the lack of funds. “In addition the Finance Ministry refuses to grant funds unless it is for an essential matter. This was postponed because this matter is outside the purview of the commission. I cannot say who should be responsible for this.”, he added.   

When asked if he would have held the election if he had been the chairman of the commission, he replied, “If I were there I would know how to bat. But now I am outside. I cannot tell them how to bat. The one batting should know that.”