Bankrupt nation is to postpone local council elections due next month prompting public protests
Supporters and activists of Sri Lanka’s main opposition and Samagi Jana Balawegaya party shout slogans during a protest held to urge the government to hold local council elections as scheduled, in Colombo on Feb. 20. (Photo: AFP)
The Sri Lankan Church has criticized a decision by the government to put off local council elections scheduled in March as “anti-democratic.”
The Election Commission has told the Supreme Court of its inability to hold elections as planned on March 9 due to the non-availability of funds, much to the dismay of the people and opposition parties who have since been organizing demonstrations across the country.
Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith wondered if the reason for postponing the vote was the rising public dissatisfaction with the government and advised the nation’s rulers “to be humble enough” to face the people and accept their verdict.
“Postponing the election is a totalitarian attempt and it is anti-democratic. This is an infringement on the countrymen’s sovereignty and the constitution,” he said.
The cardinal’s views were shared with the media by Father Cyril Gamini Fernando, spokesman of Colombo archdiocese, at a press conference in Colombo on Feb. 21.
He said Cardinal Ranjith has appealed to the president and concerned government authorities to facilitate the elections as they are bound by the constitution to create the necessary environment for their smooth conduct.
The government, its institutions and officials are duty-bound to provide all necessary support to the Election Commission, the cardinal added.
Father Gamini reiterated that postponing or canceling elections is an anti-democratic act and a government must respect the basic rights of the people.
“We have to fight peacefully for people’s right to the election,” the priest said.
Sri Lanka’s local council elections, supposed to be held every four years, were last held in 2018. In 2022, the government announced that the tenure of the councils was extended by another year.
Nimal Punchihewa, chairman of the Election Commission and attorney-at-law said the Ministry of Finance has declined to allot the estimated amount of 10 billion rupees ($27.6 million) set aside in the national budget for holding the elections.
Ganga Liyanage, head of the government printing office said ballot papers cannot be printed unless funds are made available in advance.
Antony Fernando, a Catholic teacher from Negombo said the obvious reason for the postponement of elections is that the government will suffer a massive defeat.
“If this [local council] election is postponed because there are no funds, the presidential and general elections will also be postponed in the future because there are no funds,” Fernando said.
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