With the Election Commission (EC) awaiting a response from the Ministry of Finance to a request for funds for Local Government (LG) elections expenditure, polls monitors and related organisations made a written request to the Ministry of Finance yesterday (12) for the release of funds required for the same, noting that it is the responsibility of all government officials to support the EC in holding the LG elections.
The letter written by polls monitors People's Action for Free and Fair Elections, Election Violence Monitoring Center, Institute for Democratic Reforms and Electoral Studies, Transparency International Sri Lanka, Campaign for Free and Fair Elections, Mothers and Daughters of Lakbima, and Election Observation Centre was addressed to the Secretary to the Treasury and the Ministry of Finance Mahinda Siriwardana.
The letter noted that while Parliament had allocated funds in its 2023 budget to conduct the LG elections this year, the EC had not received a successful response related to the requested funds from the Ministry.
“Conducting the election is the responsibility of the EC under Article 104B of the Constitution. Let us also draw your attention to the provisions of Article 104B(2) which provides that it is the responsibility of all government officials to support the elections of the Commission.”
“In particular, the Ministry that drafted the budget, which emphasises that not providing the funds allocated by the budget passed by Parliament – which has the powers to control public finances, according to the Constitution – is a challenge to the powers and privileges of the Parliament, as well as an undermining of the Parliament. Let us also emphasise that if the approved financial allocations are not released to the EC, serious doubts will be held about the allocation of other funds in the budget document adopted by Parliament,” the letter further read.
“By drawing your attention to Article 104GG(1) of the Constitution, which states that those who refuse or fail to cooperate with the Commission to ensure the enforcement of any law relating to the holding of any poll or referendum without any reasonable cause, we request you to support the EC by releasing relevant funds to conduct the election,” the letter further added.
The polls monitors further stressed that the Supreme Court had not given an order against the EC regarding the fundamental rights petition filed by several persons including Parliamentarian Professor G.L. Peiris, based on the promise given that the EC will ensure that the LG election is conducted.
“Also, the Supreme Court has referred the hearing of the case requesting an order not to hold the LG election to 23 February, and the Commission has planned to commence postal voting on 22 February. Therefore, we request to immediately release the necessary funds for the progress of the election as approved by Parliament through the budget document.”
Speaking to The Daily Morning on 9 February, EC Chairman Attorney Nimal G. Punchihewa stated that the EC was yet to receive any response from the Ministry of Finance with regard to their request for Rs. 770 million as the LG election expenditure for the month of February.
He further told The Daily Morning that although a letter was sent to the Ministry, there had been no response.