LG polls: Govt. Printer repeats request for funds from Treasury

Thursday, 16 March 2023 01:18 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Government Printer Gangani Liyanage has once again written to the Treasury requesting it to release the funds required for the printing of ballot papers and other material for the Local Government polls scheduled to take place on 25 April.

Liyanage has addressed the letter to the Operations Department of the Treasury and a copy has also been forwarded to the Election Commission of Sri Lanka (ECSL).

According to her, the Treasury has failed to respond to her previous request dated 8 March. Liyange said if the funds are not received this week, it is likely the polls will have to be postponed yet again. The Government Printer has put forward an estimate of Rs. 200 million as the initial cost of printing material required for the Local Government poll. The total cost for printing ballot papers and other materials is an estimated Rs. 400 million.

Last week the ECSL also wrote to President Ranil Wickremesinghe, requesting that he orders the release of funds for the Local Government election.

According to a source from the ECSL, the postal vote scheduled to be held between 28 - 31 March, may have to be postponed if the required funds are not released today. The Government Printer has confirmed that ballot papers for postal voting have been printed in 17 out of 25 districts to date. Previously the ECSL also wrote to Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena requesting that he intervene in securing funds for the elections. However, no funds have been forthcoming despite the Supreme Court order issued on 2 March preventing the Treasury Secretary from withholding funds allocated in the budget for the elections.