• Seeks over Rs. 300 mn for ballot paper printing
• Wants 60 cops round the clock for security

According to directives provided by the Election Commission (EC), Government Printer Gangani Liyanage stated that she had written to the Treasury yesterday (8) to release the remaining funds of more than Rs. 300 million to recommence the activities of ballot paper printing for the upcoming Local Government (LG) poll and had forwarded a written request to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chandana D. Wickramaratne requesting the provision of adequate security for the same.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, Liyanage said: “During the discussion with the EC held on Tuesday (7), we were asked to write to the Treasury requesting to release funds to resume ballot paper printing and to the IGP requesting the required security. We have sent the letter to the Treasury and the IGP today (8). We requested 35 Police personnel during the daytime and 28 personnel for the nighttime hours. However, the Police Department would decide on the hierarchy of the Police officers who would be deployed. We have already completed printing work for Rs. 152 million and we are in need of more than Rs. 300 million to complete the remaining work. Therefore, we have mentioned in our letter to the Treasury the details of how much had been spent and that more than Rs. 300 million is further needed to complete the work.”

Liyanage further said that she would continue to print from where it was stopped and stated that so far, ballot papers had been printed for 14 districts for postal votes. “We are done with the basics so now we have to place the seal. Once we get a reply from the Treasury and once security is provided, we would continue the job. They have scheduled postal voting for 28 March. If we are to hand over the ballot papers on time for postal voting, they should provide the facilities. A total of 600,000 voters are eligible for postal voting. Printing this amount would not be an issue. But, for the remaining, we need around 30 days to print the required ballot papers. There are 339 LG Authorities for which we need to print ballot papers, results sheets and posters. These printing activities should be carried out under Police security,” she added. Liyanage said that the recommencing of the printing of ballot papers should be decided based on the reply from the Treasury. 

“We need at least a part of the estimated expenditure. Once I receive a reply, I would inform the EC. We have sufficient time till 28 March and 25 April so the Treasury could discuss and keep us informed. In the event that the Treasury notifies that they cannot release the funds, I must inform the EC,” she further noted. 

When contacted by The Daily Morning in this regard, Police Media Spokesman, Senior Superintendent of Police and Attorney Nihal Thalduwa declined to comment on the provision of security, stating that the matter was under the purview of the EC, while Treasury and Finance Ministry Secretary Mahinda Siriwardana, when queried regarding the provision of funds, said that he is not in a position to comment on the same.

Previously, following a meeting with Liyanage, Wickramaratne, and the other relevant authorities, in which the Secretary to the Treasury and the Finance Ministry Mahinda Siriwardana was absent, the EC had decided on 25 April 2023 as the new date to conduct the LG poll, in keeping with the Supreme Court’s recent related order.

Earlier, Liyanage stated that the “main reason” for the delay in printing the ballot papers for postal voting at the said poll is that despite many requests made to the Police, including to Wickramaratne by both the EC and the Government Printing Department to provide security for the ballot printing process, Police personnel are yet to be deployed for the same.