‘Obstructing 2023 elections jeopardizes democracy’

COLOMBO: The newly formed Freedom People’s Alliance (FPA) has raised concerns over the recent resistance displayed by the Ministry of Finance to release the fund required to hold to upcoming 2023 Local Government (LG) election.

In a letter addressed to the President, members of the FPA stated that in the event the 2023 LG polls are not held citing reasons if inadequate finances and resources, it will inevitably result in withholding the people from their right of suffrage, which the party deemed the ‘source from which all other democratic rights and freedoms flow’.

Speaking on the recent decision made by the Finance Ministry to refrain from releasing the required funds, the FPA asserted that as the necessary funds were already allocated by the Parliament in the 2023 Budget which was passed in Parliament last year, thereby making it the imperative duty of the Secretary to the Ministry to paces these resources at the disposal of the Election Commission.

“Failure to do so, manifestly, exposes this official to serious consequences arising from international violation of the Constitution”, the letter read.

They cited the judgment made in the landmark case of Mohamed Hussain v Election Commission of Sri Lanka, in which the court held that the failure to hold elections on the due date or postponing is a violation of the fundamental rights of the people.

Thus, the political party urged all relevant authorities to desist the Sri Lankan government from following a course of action which is ‘gravely detrimental’ to the nation, stating that the attempts made by the government to obstruct the LG polls jeopardises the survival of the democratic system of governance in Sri Lanka.