Sri Lanka indefinitely postpones local elections amid economic crisis

The Independent Electoral Commission of Sri Lanka indefinitely postponed the local elections. Earlier, the commission told the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka that it was not in a position to hold the polls on the scheduled date. The March 9 elections will elect only local councillors, but will be the first electoral test for Ranil Wickremesinghe since he took office in July after months of protests over the island’s worst economic crisis. He was seen by many as a de facto referendum on the unpopular austerity measures he brought in to secure the International Monetary Fund bailout.

The five-member election commission panel said the vote would not take place as scheduled because Wickremesinghe’s administration refused to provide the necessary 10 billion rupees ($27 million) and logistical support. The announcement came a day after Wickremesinghe warned parliament that holding elections during an economic crisis could be disastrous. If the economy does not develop, we will not have a country. Wickremesinghe, who replaced Gotabaya Rajapaksa after protesters stormed the presidential palace, has implemented massive tax increases in an effort to secure an IMF bailout.