Thursday Nov 21, 2024
Thursday Nov 21, 2024
Thursday, 20 April 2023 00:40 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
A gazette notification released by all district returning officers has officially announced the postponement of the Local Government elections for a second time. The elections were scheduled to be held on 25 April after it was postponed from the initial polling date of 9 March.
However, issuing the gazette notification, district returning officers said the 2023 Local Government election cannot be held on 25 April as scheduled and a new date will be announced once the treasury releases the necessary fund or when the Supreme Courts delivers a decision with regards to the pending cases before the courts on the matter. The gazette said a new date for the polls will be decided based on either the availability of funds or the court order pertaining to the matter, whichever occurs first.
The Local Government election along with the postal vote has been repeatedly postponed after the Treasury failed to release the necessary funds for the conduct of elections despite several requests by the Election Commission of Sri Lanka and the Government press. Though the Supreme Court issued an interim order on 3 March preventing the Treasury Secretary from withholding funds allocated for the elections the printing of ballot papers continues to be on hold as the Treasury has failed to adhere to the court order. Several petitions are currently being heard before the Courts on the matter.
