COLOMBO: Cash-strapped Sri Lanka on Wednesday formally announced the indefinite postponement of the local body polls scheduled to be held on April 25.
District returning officers of the respective districts issued gazette notifications saying the election would not take place on Tuesday, as the treasury was yet to release required funds for the polls.
The local body polls, which were earlier scheduled on March 9, got postponed to April 25, due to a plethora of reasons linked to Sri Lanka’s current economic crisis.
The notifications stated that the next date for the local council election would be determined only after the treasury confirmed the availability of the required funds or a determination by the court on the election is received.
At least three court cases regarding the election are pending, to be heard in mid-May. The Election Commission made the announcement to postpone the local body elections last week, a day after its officials held meetings with PM Dinesh Gunawardena and members of major political parties.
Election Commission’s Director General Saman Sri Ratnayake said the next election date would be announced only after the treasury confirms the disbursal of funds.