March 09 poll in the balance: Opp slams Govt. Printer, Treasury Secy. for not cooperating with EC

Nidahas Janatha Sandhanaya spokesman Prof G. L. Peiris, MP, yesterday (15) urged the Election Commission (EC) to summon Government Printer Gangani Liyanage over her refusal to cooperate with the independent commission.

Alleging that the Government Printer had deliberately undermined the conduct of Local Government polls on March 09, the former External Affairs Minister stressed that Liyanage owed an explanation. Prof. Peiris said so addressing the media at Nawala.

Prof. Peiris said that the Government Printer’s sudden declaration that she wouldn’t undertake printing until her department received the full payment should be examined against the backdrop of the assurance given by the EC to the Supreme Court that Local Government poll would be held as scheduled.

The former minister lambasted Finance Secretary Mahinda Siriwardana for depriving the EC of funds required to conduct the election. Stressing the responsibility on the part of relevant government officials to cooperate with the EC, Prof. Peiris questioned the rationale in Secretary to the Treasury refusing to release funds in spite of this year’s budget allocating Rs 10 bn for the EC.

Referring to earlier attempt made by Public Administration Secretary Neil Bandara Hapuhinna to interfere with electoral process, Prof. Peiris pointed out that SJB Mayoral candidate for Colombo Municipal Council Mujibur Rahuman recently moved court against Hapuhinna.

Meanwhile, at the meeting convened by the EC on Tuesday (14 February) morning to inform secretaries of political parties contesting LG poll, EC Chairman Nimal Punchihewa expressed concerns relating to holding the election as expected due to financial constraints. Punchihewa has said that the Government Printer has informed him in writing she was unable to continue printing of the ballot papers due to the lack of funds. Most of the participants present expressed their displeasure over the attempts made by the government to disrupt the election.

It was pointed out by many party leaders that the Election Commission has the necessary powers to conduct the election even if the government tries to stop the election by influencing various agencies that come under it, namely, the Finance Ministry, Government Printing Department and Police. It was even suggested that the finance secretary and the government printer be summoned by the Commission and questioned as to their lackadaisical approach and even to take legal action against them.

When the possibility of utilising the deposits made by the political parties towards the conduct of election was raised, it was revealed that 186 million rupees was collected as deposits and that has been dispatched to the treasury.