The start-stop-maybe attitude of the administration with regard to conducting the long-overdue Local Government Elections is not doing it any favours in either the local or global context, with the not-so-subtle stalling process likely to backfire sooner than later. It will be recalled that following the People’s Struggle last year that paved the way for the current President to take office, the underlying appeal of the administration to discontinue the struggle was for people to shun the streets in favour of the ballot to usher in the change they desire.

For the most part, the vast majority of protesters, including the hoity-toity Colombo 7 crowd, acceded to this ‘reasonable’ request and withdrew to fight another day via the democratic process. Therefore, to deny the people this fundamental right on whatever the pretext is to rouse the embers of that dormant fire. 

By default the Local Government Polls will be quite unlike a regular election as it is the first time – post struggle – that people have the opportunity to express their say through the democratic process. Having shunned the streets in favour of the ballot in accordance with the assurances provided, it is only fitting and proper that the administration acts true to its word and respects the fundamental right of the people to elect whoever they want to local councils.

Whether the administration likes it or not, it is inevitable that this poll will turn out to be a referendum on the current mood of the people and the consequence of that will likely be a General Election in the not-too-distant future. It appears that it is this dreaded thought that the administration is seeking to banish by stalling the election process, offering what appears to be the most ridiculous of reasons. 

For instance, despite appeals by the Government Printer for added Police security in order to proceed with the printing of ballot papers, the Police Department is yet to oblige the request and the reason for it, as explained by the official Police Spokesman, is the ‘lack of manpower’. However, the same Police that is finding it hard to assign 100 men to the Government Printer will instantly deploy hundreds of men and other resources if a dozen protesters gather at some street corner.

Likewise the excuse of the lack of funds to print the required ballot papers, which according to the Government Printer will cost Rs. 400 million. At today’s exchange rate, that works out to just over $ 1 million. Given that the administration was so self-conscious of what the world might think if it did not ‘celebrate’ independence, it should now necessarily worry about what this same world would think if elections are put off and the people’s rights violated for want of a pittance. The blatant hypocrisy aside, there is every likelihood of a dangerous precedent being created whereby future governments can use the same pretext to postpone elections. All it will take is the creation of an artificial economic crisis, which is certainly not beyond Sri Lankan political ingenuity.

The estimated total cost of the election as per the Election Commission is between Rs. 8-10 billion or $ 25 million, which happens to be the cost of half a fuel tanker. Interestingly enough, Budget 2023 presented by the incumbent Finance Minister has already made an allocation of Rs. 10 billion to the Election Commission, but these funds do not seem to be forthcoming for reasons best known to that particular ministry.

Whether this election in the estimation of the administration is important or not – vis-à-vis a change in the central government – it is profoundly important for two very special reasons: to show the world that democracy still rules in Sri Lanka and that the hitherto simmering mass protests will hereafter be a thing of the past and the fact that the election is mandated by law to be held prior to 19 March. However, it is unfortunate that things have come to such a point that the Election Commission has now been compelled to petition the Supreme Court by way of a motion in order to secure funds to print ballot papers and purchase fuel to conduct the polls.

The administration’s credibility on its assessment of the actual economic situation – whether things are as dire as it is portrayed to be – has been irreversibly compromised by the manner in which the electricity issue was instantaneously resolved with the increase in tariffs effective from 15 February. Lo and behold, the lack of hydropower resources, the inability to pay for coal imports, and thermal resources – the excuses that were routinely trotted out to justify the power cuts – were all overcome overnight and an uninterrupted supply miraculously restored even though the actual payment of bills with the new tariffs will not take place for at least another month. 

If, as the administration says, the State banks are agreeable to provide credit based on the CEB’s projected earning capacity, the same argument should be valid for holding an election as well, as everything else is primarily dependent on the preservation of democracy in this country. Given the recent history of this nation where people took upon themselves the task of chasing away an inept leadership, it is all the more reason that every possible effort is taken by the incumbent administration to strengthen the democratic process by ensuring the franchise and sovereignty of the people in accordance with Article 3 of the Constitution.

Considering the perceived cost constraints that have been trotted out by the administration for its holding back on funds for the election, it is noteworthy that there appears to be significant savings in the overall monthly import bill as a result of a reduction in fuel consumption due to the adverse economic conditions, with unofficial estimates pointing to an overall reduction of around 25% in the import bill. It is likely that, following the latest price hike, electricity consumption will also see a similar reduction. 

However, even though the Treasury might appreciate the savings in its fuel import bill, it is cause for concern as such reduction invariably points to contracting of economic activity that will necessarily have a direct bearing on the country’s already underperforming Gross Domestic Product. It is no secret that commerce, industry, and hospitality will find it the hardest to survive, given the cocktail of prohibitive taxation, sky high cost of credit currently in the 30% range, soaring energy costs, and inflation still in the 50% range – all of which are making life exceedingly tough for the lifeblood of the economy which is the Small and Medium Enterprises sector. The fallout will be products and services that are no longer competitive in the global marketplace, especially with regard to exports including the hospitality sector.

Therefore, to anticipate higher returns by increasing taxes and utility prices will prove to be counter-productive and the likely outcome will be more and more businesses putting up shutters, resulting in higher unemployment. More worrisome is the prospect of Sri Lanka’s hospitality sector being forced to price itself out of contention in the regional marketplace. Therefore, the anticipated revival in tourism may prove to be a mirage.

Given these critical factors, it is profoundly important that the administration looks at the consequences of hampering the conduct of what, in its words, is an insignificant poll from a holistic perspective, as stifling the franchise of the people is akin to the commission of political hara-kiri.