News
EC quashes presidential directive to resume development projects
View(s):By S. Rubatheesan
The Election Commission (EC) has shot down a presidential directive to go ahead with development projects overseen by District Coordinating Committees (DCCs) under the supervision of provincial governors.
This is on the grounds that such a move would be in violation of election laws given the governors are political appointees.
Presidential Secretary N.S. Kumanayake had earlier written to the Public Administration Ministry Secretary, advising him to instruct district secretaries to devise a proper mechanism whereby activities of the DCCs, which had become inactive following the dissolution of Parliament, could be continued under the coordination of provincial governors, who were co-chairs of these committees.
The presidential secretary’s letter pointed out that the DCCs were responsible for directing, supervising, and reviewing many development projects being implemented at the district level in keeping with Budget 2024, but these had stalled owing to the DCCs becoming inactive.
Instructing the Ministry Secretary to direct the district secretaries to pay special attention to the matter, Dr. Kumanayake insisted that the development projects begun this year should be completed and their benefits should reach the people.
The projects were funded by the decentralised budget allocated for MPs.
The Ministry of Public Administration, in response, issued letters to district secretaries along with a copy of the presidential secretary’s letter, directing them to discuss with respective provincial governors and devise a proper mechanism to ensure that district development projects begun under the 2024 budget were completed within this year.
In the five Northern Province districts—Jaffna, Mullaithivu, Mannar, Kilinochchi, and Vavuniya—measures taken by officials to hold a DCC meeting next week were dropped after the EC intervened.
A senior government official said that since the funds for these projects came from the decentralised budgets of former MPs, they could turn up at a DCC meeting arguing that they were entitled to be there.
The Sunday Times learns that the EC’s objections to the Presidential Secretary’s move have been conveyed to the district secretaries only verbally.
The district secretaries have been told they can go ahead with the programmes after the parliamentary elections are over.
EC Chairman R.M.A. L. Ratnayake told the Sunday Times that the matter would be taken up during a meeting scheduled for Wednesday.
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