SC asks Finance Ministry Secretary to not withhold funds for LG polls

• Issues another order preventing the withholding of funds from the Government Printer
• ECSL defers announcement of new election date following court order
• Commission says new date will be announced next week following discussions with relevant parties

The Supreme Court yesterday issued an interim order on the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance and the Attorney General representing the Minister of Finance, preventing them from withholding funds allocated in the budget for the local Government elections of 2023. The interim order was issued by the Apex court when it gave the petition filed by Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) general secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara leave to proceed yesterday. 

The petition was taken up in the presence of Supreme Court Justices Preethi Padman Surasena, Janak De Silva, and Priyantha Jayawardena. The Supreme Court also issued another order preventing the withholding of any funds from the Government Printer. The petition will once again be taken up for examination on 26 May 2023.

The petition was filed by Madduma Bandara requesting that the Government be ordered to release the necessary funds for the conduct of the local Government elections. Madduma Bandara in his petition has requested the Supreme Court to rule that the respondents, including the Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, have violated the fundamental rights of the people by not releasing the required funds to the Election Commission.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission of Sri Lanka (ECSL) met yesterday to decide on a new date for the local Government polls. However, following the meeting, the ECSL said the announcement will be deferred to early next week due to the interim order issued by the Apex Court. Accordingly, the Chairman of the ECSL, Nimal Punchihewa said the new date for the local Government election will be announced in consultation with the officials including the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, the Government Printer and other relevant parties. Punchihewa said the discussions will be held early next week and the new date for elections will be announced thereafter.