• Alles says ‘EC has to sort out finances on extra expenses first’
• Police receives requests for security from EC, Govt. Printer

In the wake of requests from the Election Commission (EC) and the Department of Government Printing for the provision of security for the Local Government (LG) poll ballot paper printing process, the Public Security Ministry, under the purview of which the Police Department comes, informed that they can make a decision on the provision of the same only if the EC responds to an earlier request on the Police LG poll expenditure estimation sent to the Commission.

Speaking to The Daily Morning when queried as to the provision of security following the said requests from the EC and the Government Printer, Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles said: “It depends on so many things. The Police has given a total cost estimate to the EC of what our extra expenditure will be. The EC will have to provide all that to start providing security, vehicles, and all of what is needed. The Police had informed the EC about this previously, including also during the course of this week. They have to sort out the finances first.”

The Police yesterday (9) confirmed that the written requests made by the EC as well as the Government Printing Department for the provision of security to recommence ballot paper printing for postal voting of the LG poll scheduled to be held on 27, 28, and 29 March, had been received by them. Police Media Spokesman, Senior Superintendent of Police and Attorney Nihal Thalduwa, speaking to The Daily Morning, stated: “The requests made by the EC and the Government Printing Department have been received by us and a decision in this regard will be taken. Initially, when they requested, we didn’t say that we cannot provide. We will make a decision in the future.”

Earlier, EC Chairman, Attorney Nimal G. Punchihewa told The Daily Morning that the estimation of over Rs. 2 billion made by the Police for the LG election expenditure cannot be accepted. “We cannot accept their estimation. They have not sent the details but have only sent the estimation. We have to take it to them to reduce it.”

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