The Election Commission says that the Ministry of Finance has not yet responded to the request to provide money for the expenses of the local government elections in February.
Its chairman, Mr. Nimal Punchihewa, a lawyer, said that the delay in receiving the money could lead to a crisis in spending money for the election.
Recently, the Election Commission made a written request to the Secretary of the Ministry of Finance to provide 770 million rupees for the election expenses in February.
Meanwhile, a retired army colonel, the writ petition filed by Mr. W.M. R. Wijesundara will be recalled before the Supreme Court today (10).
The General Secretary of the United People’s Party, Parliamentarian Ranjith Madduma Bandara, Parliamentarian Prof. G.L. Peiris, as well as Parliamentarians Dayasiri Jayasekara, Lakshman kiriella , requested to reject the petition without giving permission for the hearing. The petitions filed by Mr. Kiriella, Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, MA Sumandiram and the interlocutory petitions filed by Mr. Sunil Watagala Eranga Gunasekara and Mr. Viswakesha Chandrasekaran are scheduled to be called today.
Meanwhile, recently the Commissioner General of the Election Commission Mr. Saman Sri Ratnayake submitted an affidavit and requested the Supreme Court through an affidavit to order the relevant parties to provide the necessary financial and other facilities for the election.