LG poll postal voting postponed

As no money released for printing of polling cards

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By Editor_1
-AP/File

COLOMBO – Sri Lanka’s postal voting for the March 9 Local Government polls has been postponed indefinitely due to reasons beyond the control of the Election Commission (EC), the EC said, in a likely move that could delay the election in which the ruling party is facing a possible defeat.

The postal voting for the upcoming polls which have been already delayed by one year was scheduled to be held from February 22-24.

“All preparation was done to issue a postal voting card on February 15, parallel to the LG polls that are scheduled for March 9, 2023,” the EC said in a statement.

“However, due to reasons beyond the control of the Election Commission, the commission is unable to issue the polling cards. Therefore the issuance of polling cards will not be done on February 15, 2023. The dates will be announced in the future,” it added.

However, an EC official said the Department of Government Printing has refused to print polling cards without payments from the EC.

He said he cannot elaborate as to when the postal voting will be held as the Treasury has to release the funds for the poll.

Political analysts have said President Ranil Wickremesinghe is not in favour of the election until the island nation’s economy stabilizes.

Sri Lanka declared sovereign debt default in April last year as it ran out of foreign currency to repay external loans amid trillions of rupees of money printing.

President Wickremesinghe, who was elected through an unprecedented Parliament vote in July last year, has raised personal taxes to as much as 36% to boost government revenue in line with an International Monetary Fund (IMF) program to move out of the current economic crisis.

The tax hikes have resulted in a raft of protests led by state-sector trade unions. The protesters have vowed to continue their agitation until the Wickremesinghe government revises down the taxes.

The president is under pressure to provide some relief for the public, especially those who have been rendered unemployed, foregoing on meals, facing malnutrition, and those who are below the poverty level.

The move comes at a time when Wickremesimghe’s centre-right United National Party (UNP) and his ruling coalition – nationalist Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) are facing imminent defeat in local government polls.

The outcome of thep oll is unlikely to change the government or Parliament composition. But it is likely to change the willingness to back Wickremesinghe government’s reform agenda including fulfilling tough conditions from the IMF for a $2.9 billion loan, analysts have said.

The main opposition centre-right Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) and Marxists Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National People’s Power have already challenged Wickremesinghe’s economic policies.

However, both parties are yet to propose alternative economic policies to Wickremesinghe’s one to address the crisis.

While not releasing the money for polling card printing, the Cabinet this week approved Wickremesinghe’s proposal “aimed at reducing the difficulties faced by the people and providing immediate relief in the face of the current economic situation”.

The relief includes funds for the purchase of paddy to provide 10kgs of rice to two million families, pay gratuity arrears to 18,000 government retirees, reduce malnutrition, and purchase essential medicines.

-economynext.com

 

Editor_1
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