In a recent development, all District Returning Officers in Sri Lanka have issued a Gazette notification announcing the postponement of the 2023 Local Government (LG) election, which was originally scheduled for 25 April. The new election date will be determined based on the availability of funds or the decision of the Supreme Court on the pending case.
The local government election was initially planned for last year but was deferred indefinitely due to economic difficulties and political instability in the country. The election was then scheduled for 9 March, but printing of ballot papers stalled due to insufficient funds.
The Supreme Court issued an interim order on 3 March, preventing the Treasury Secretary from withholding budgetary allocations for the LG election. However, some government MPs alleged that the court order breached parliamentary privileges and was an attempt by the government to postpone the election.
As of 19 March, the term of office for 340 out of 341 local government bodies had expired, and the authority of the councils was transferred to the relevant secretaries and commissioners.
The postponement of the election has caused widespread criticism, with many questioning the government’s commitment to democratic processes. The country awaits a resolution to the pending court case or the release of sufficient funds for the LG election to proceed.
