19 March 2024 12:00 am
The cash-strapped government will have to cough up another Rs.11 billion in case a snap parliamentary election is declared ahead of the Presidential Election which is anyway due in terms of the Constitution during the last quarter of this year, Daily Mirror learns.
This will be in addition to over Rs.10 billion already allocated to the Election Commission in the 2024 budget for the conduct of the Presidential Election.
A spokesman for the Election Commission told Daily Mirror that money had not been allocated in the current budget for a General Election since it is not scheduled for this year. However, President Ranil Wickremesinghe has the discretion to dissolve Parliament at any time to call for a snap general election. Also, he is empowered to allocate money from the Consolidated Fund to conduct the general election if declared by him.
The Constitution says the President can dissolve Parliament and fix a date for a general election. Unless Parliament has already made provision in that behalf, the President can authorize allocations from the Consolidated Fund for required expenditure after consultation with the election authorities.
Currently, Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) which ensures parliamentary support for the President to run the government insists on a general election. However, the United National Party (UNP) which is headed by the President, says it is ill-advised to have a general election.