Following the interim order issued by the Supreme Court on Friday (3) preventing the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance from withholding the funds allocated through the 2023 Budget for the Local Government (LG) Polls, State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said the ministry would respect and act according to the decision.
“We should abide by the court decision. It is our responsibility. Therefore, as the Finance Ministry, we respect the decision and will act accordingly,” the State Minister told the media.
These interim orders were issued to the Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, who was named as a respondent in the relevant petition, and the Attorney General, who was named on behalf of the President.
The order was given by the three-member Supreme Court bench comprising Judges Preethi Padman Surasena, Janak de Silva, and Priyantha Fernando, allowing the consideration of a Fundamental Rights petition filed by Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) General Secretary MP Ranjith Madduma Bandara.
The bench ordered the parties to file the objections and counter objections related to the petition in accordance with the Supreme Court rules and ordered that the hearing of the petition would be held on 26 May.
The court also issued another interim order preventing the retention of funds allocated to the Department of Government Printing for the purpose of printing ballot papers.
In the meantime, the Election Commission of Sri Lanka has decided to convene a special meeting on Tuesday (7) in order to reach a conclusive date on which the 2023 polls will be held.
Accordingly, all relevant officials including the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, the Government Printer, and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) have been informed to attend the meeting, following an order issued by the Supreme Court instructing that a date for the election be announced before 9 March – the date on which the polls were initially scheduled to be held.
Last month, President Ranil Wickremesinghe told Parliament that the LG Elections had not been declared legally and therefore there was no question of a postponement.
His controversial statement drew strong criticism from the Opposition and civil society groups, who alleged that the Government was attempting to postpone the Local Government Elections for political gain.