By Maheesha Mudugamuwa

The Elections Commission of Sri Lanka (ECSL) has allocated Rs. 2 billion to hold the elections of six Provincial Councils (PC) except for the Western, Southern, and Uva Provinces.

Elections Secretariat Chief Accountant G.R.A.K. Gamlath told The Morning that the funds had been allocated to hold the elections this year as the terms of the six PCs except Western, Southern, and Uva would be ended this year.

The secretariat had not allocated funds for the other three provinces as their terms are scheduled to end next year.

Asked whether the funds had been allocated to hold the election under the old system, Gamlatha said while the funds had been allocated to hold the election under the old system there would not be an issue even if the election is held under the new system.

The Government had spent a total of Rs. 21.2 million to compile the Delimitation Report which was rejected by Parliament and was now being reviewed by a committee chaired by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Provincial Councils and Local Government Minister Faizser Mustapha rejected the allegations that the money which had been spent to draft the report was a complete waste claiming that the findings of the report would be used by the new committee.

Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) General Secretary Prof. Rohana Lakshman Piyadasa said the party also had concerns on the report as it did not mention the multi-seat constituencies.

“We hope that the report would be received within next two months and the Government would be able to go for an election within three-and-a-half months,” Prof. Piyadasa added.