The Election commission (EC) informed that it will stay within the budgetary allocation of Rs. 10 billion for the Presidential Poll of this year (2024).

“We have decided to stick to our budget of Rs. 10 billion,” the Commissioner General of Elections, Saman Sri Ratnayake told The Daily Morning yesterday (11) in response to a query  on any changes in the budget. “This budget was decided last year (2023) and we will cover the cost of this election with this.”

Expenses such as those for the provision of security for the Poll and related aspects and the printing of the 27-inch ballot paper must be covered within this budget.

Government Printer, Gangani Liyanage, confirmed earlier that the ballot paper for the Presidential Election would be the longest for a Presidential Election in the country. However, the EC said that despite the increase in the candidates running for the Presidency (38 in total), they have not received any notification from the Government Printer regarding an increased printing cost. According to Liyanage, the Election related printing costs are expected to be four times higher than what was incurred in 2019, when the last Presidential Election was held.

The Daily Morning’s attempts to contact Liyanage to clarify if there had been changes to the ballot paper printing cost were futile.

Meanwhile, the Police confirmed that whilst several Presidential candidates have refused security, the Police is providing a number of officers to protect Presidential candidates whilst ensuring vital security steps such as conducting security assessments before a public rally. The Police declined to comment on the number of officers assigned to guard each Presidential candidate.