Conditions not conducive for elections: State Minister Shehan Semasinghe

State Minister of  Finance Shehan Semasinghe has said that the Treasury is in a critical situation  and there is no suitable environment for politics in the face of the country's economic crisis and the Election Commission is responsible for deciding whether or not to hold the election.

Minister  Semasinghe, was responding to a question asked by journalists in Anuradhapura regarding the elections

"Many people express their opinions about the current economic situation of the country out of ignorance. If we talk to the people today, the need of the people is to create a necessary economic background for them to live a good life. They have neither time nor ability to pay attention to politics in this current situation.

On the other hand, we are in a serious situation today regarding the Treasury. Because there are some expenses that must be done in our country. Even mandatory payments such as payment of salaries of government employees, mandatory payment for social welfare, payment of gratuity to retired senior citizens etc. are challenging. Therefore, in the economic reforms of our country, a background is being created that can take the country to a better path.

The downfall in the economy has not fully stabilized yet. Even though the economy is operating as normal, it seems that those who express their opinions without understanding the extent and breadth of this crisis. Therefore, this is not a period where there is a suitable environment for politics (elections). More than that, it is necessary to prepare a program for the challenges faced by the people in leading their normal lives."

 "The government is not in a position to interfere in postponing or holding of the election. It is assigned to the Election, “ he said.

He said the Election Commission should consult with the relevant parties and take a decision on whether or not to hold elections.