EC to meet to decide whether postal voting can go ahead

The Election Commission (EC) will be meeting later this week to decide on whether it can hold the postal voting of the 2023 local government election as scheduled from March 28 to 31. 

The meeting is being held in the backdrop of Government Printer Gangani Liyanage stating that there was insufficient time to complete the printing of postal ballots. 

Ms. Liyanage earlier told the Sunday Times that though Rs 533 million was requested for the printing work, Rs 339 million was still outstanding and therefore she could not go ahead with the printing.

The EC has asked the Treasury for an advance payment of Rs 500 million by March 15. 

An EC source stated that since the Treasury has still not released much of the funds required by the Commission for election work, the EC will have to meet again to decide on its future course of action with regard to the poll. 

While the immediate concern is whether postal voting can be held as scheduled or will need to be rescheduled, the EC source conceded that the main election date of April 25 too may have to be reconsidered if the required funds are not released soon.