The People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) has expressed disappointment at the lack of action by Sri Lankan authorities in calling for the Local Government Elections, which have been delayed for over eight months without any justifiable reason.
In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, PAFFREL conveyed its concerns regarding the prolonged delay in holding the Local Government Elections. The organization highlighted that despite the Election Commission’s request for Rs. 10 Billion to conduct the elections, a significant sum of Rs. 1 Billion has already been expended on the preliminary efforts.
PAFFREL emphasized that if the election, for which nominations have been called, is not conducted, it would constitute a wasteful expenditure of Rs. 1 Billion in public funds. The letter questions the justifiability of such resource misuse, especially given the country’s severe economic crisis.
PAFFREL underscored the disappointment in observing that priority is not accorded to elections, which are vital for executing the constitutional mandate, compared to welfare and development activities. The organization pointed out that a mere 3.7% of the allocated budget is designated for conducting a fair and free election, and indefinitely postponing the people’s opportunity to exercise their franchise sets a negative precedent.
In their letter, PAFFREL urged the Prime Minister to take necessary measures to release funds to the Election Commission promptly, facilitating the timely and planned holding of local government polls to uphold the people’s right to vote.
