- Talks to be held with Police, Treasury before deciding
The Election Commission (EC), which is yet to agree on the estimation of over Rs. 2 billion made by the Police for Local Government (LG) elections policing-related expenditure, has assigned its accounts department to take the necessary measures after discussing it with the relevant authorities, The Daily Morning learned.
Last month (February), the EC stated that the estimation of over Rs. 2 billion made by the Police could not be accepted due to the exorbitant amount, while the Police claimed that severe inflation was the reason for such a high estimation.
When contacted by The Daily Morning about the latest situation with regard to the estimation in question, EC Chairman Attorney Nimal G. Punchihewa said that the accounts department of the EC has been instructed to discuss with the Police and the Ministry of Finance, Economic Stabilisation, and National Policies and the General Treasury, in order to take necessary steps in that regard.
In response to a query regarding whether the EC would endorse the estimation submitted by the Police, he said: “We have not approved any estimation and nor have we been entrusted with the power to do so. All we have to do is to study the estimation and express our agreement to the Finance Ministry and the Treasury if the estimation is reasonable. We have not yet expressed such agreement on this estimation. We have instructed the accounts department to discuss it further and take the necessary steps. They will do it accordingly.”
When contacted by The Daily Morning, Police Media Spokesman, Senior Superintendent of Police, and Attorney-at-Law Nihal Thalduwa said that he is unaware of the latest situation related to the estimation in question. When questioned whether a problematic situation would arise regarding the deployment of police officers for LG elections duties in the event the Treasury does not release the necessary funds to the Police, he said: “It is not possible to make assumptions about it. Usually, when security is requested for some purpose, the Police take steps to make the necessary arrangements.”
Meanwhile, Government Printer Gangani Liyanage told The Daily Morning early this week that after the recent discussion with the EC, she had requested Inspector General of Police Chandana D. Wickramaratne that necessary security be provided for the printing of the ballot papers. However, she said that if the release of the funds required by the Police is delayed, there would be a problematic situation with regard to obtaining security.
Source By the morning.lk
