Postponed local polls incurs Rs.1 bln cost for state coffers

The government has spent a massive sum of public money amounting to Rs.1 billion for preliminary activities of the postponed local government elections which were scheduled to be held on April 25, 202, Finance Ministry records showed.

The cost for the Election Commission to conduct the elections estimated at just over Rs. 9 billion and the printing cost alone was Rs.1.827 billion out of which a sum of Rs.1 billion has already been spent,

Elections rights activist Rohana Hettiarchchi said that the local government elections had been postponed indefinitely and the government is planning to cancel the nominations given to elections.   

A high official of the Elections Commission stated that the deposits could be refunded only in the event the nominations submitted for the upcoming election are cancelled.

He further noted that in order for the nominations to be cancelled, the government is required to table a Bill in this regard before the Parliament, else, nominations will be cancelled only by way of a gazette notification. (Bandula)