Independent monitors in SL demand announcement of local polls

COLOMBO: Independent election monitors in Sri Lanka have pressed for the holding of the local council polls even as the government appears reluctant to conduct them in the prevailing economic crisis.

Sri Lanka, a country of 22 million people, plunged into financial and political turmoil earlier this year as it faced a shortage of foreign currencies.

The worst economic crisis since its independence in 1948 was triggered by a severe paucity of foreign exchange reserves.

“We will file court action if the government failed by January 5 to set dates for the elections,” Rohana Hettiarachchi of the People’s Action for Free and Fair Polls (PAFFREL) told reporters.

He said the head of the Elections Commission had failed to keep his pledge to announce the poll date by the end of December.

The elections for 341 local councils in the country have been postponed since February as the government grappled with the economic crisis and the political upheaval which led to street protests.

The main opposition SJB has been pressing for the polls, saying the government is fearful of losing the elections due to large-scale dissatisfaction among the people.

The ruling SLPP has made public statements that they are ready to face the election.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has cited the need to reform the local councils’ system. He claimed that the current councilors numbering over 8,000 must be halved before holding the elections.

However, the Opposition claimed it was only an excuse to postpone the elections.

The governor had also appointed a delimitation commission to demarcate the new boundaries of local bodies which the Opposition said was another delaying tactic adopted by the government for the fear of losing the elections.

Chair of the Elections Commission Nimal Punchihewa has cited several reasons for the delay in announcing the date in December and said the new date would be announced by January 5.

The nominations would be called within 14 days of the poll announcement.