Local body elections will not be held in Sri Lanka on March 9: Election Commission
[ad_1]
copy photo
google creative commons
Facing an economic crisis, Sri Lanka’s top court on Thursday adjourned until May the hearing of a petition against holding elections.
Sri Lanka’s Election Commission on Friday formally announced that the local body elections will not be held on March 9 as per the scheduled date and will now notify a new date on March 3. Facing an economic crisis, Sri Lanka’s top court on Thursday adjourned until May the hearing of a petition against holding elections. A day later, this formal announcement was made after discussions between the officials of the Commission on Friday.
The commission will now seek the intervention of Parliament Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardene to ensure the requisite funds are allocated from the government to conduct the elections. The Election Commission had earlier this month informed the apex court that it was difficult to hold the March 9 local body polls due to various reasons related to the current economic crisis in the country. President Ranil Wickremesinghe insisted on Thursday that his job as president, at this stage, is to revive the beleaguered economy.
He indicated that due to the already weak financial condition, holding local elections would only add additional pressure. But opposition parties like the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) accused Wickremesinghe of trying to sabotage the local body elections by withholding government funds out of fear of defeat. Opposition leaders have also accused him of influencing government officials and the Election Commission against the elections.
SJB party MPs had filed a fundamental rights petition in the Supreme Court. Due to the current economic crisis, elections to appoint new administrations in 340 local councils have been postponed for four years from March last year. The government has repeatedly indicated that the timing of holding elections was inopportune given the economic crisis caused by the depletion of foreign exchange reserves. It has been said that conducting elections at a cost of Rs 10 billion will put additional pressure on Sri Lanka, which is already struggling with financial constraints.
Disclaimer:IndiaTheNews has not edited this news. This news has been published from PTI-language feed.
other news
[ad_2]
Source link
