Sri Lanka Set to Announce Crucial Presidential Election Date Amid Legal Tussles

The Election Commission of Sri Lanka will announce the date for the upcoming presidential election by month's end. This announcement comes amidst legal challenges that some opposition factions believe are strategies by the government to avoid the election. Incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe is expected to run. Despite increased costs since the last election, funding has been secured.

The election date for Sri Lanka's presidential run will be declared by the end of this month, according to the election commission.

Legal challenges creating uncertainty, which the opposition views as attempts by the government to dodge the election, continue to loom.

Election Commission Chairman R.M.A.L. Ratnayake stated that only a court injunction could stop the election from being held.

'We can't influence people not to challenge by filing cases. We will try to defeat those cases through the Attorney General,' Ratnayake said.

Two such cases with election implications have been dismissed with costs by the Supreme Court.

Incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe is expected to be a candidate in the upcoming election.

Ratnayake assured that financial resources needed for the election have been secured, despite costs rising from Rs 2.7 billion in 2015 to Rs 4.5 billion in 2019.

'For this election, we have asked for 10 billion rupees, and we have got the allocation. Costs include government printing and police services,' Ratnayake added.

This election will be the first following Sri Lanka's plunge into economic bankruptcy in 2022.

The 2023 council poll to elect over 300 local bodies was cancelled due to a stated lack of funds amid the financial crisis. The opposition's legal challenge against this non-holding of the local election is still pending.

The commission is authorized to announce the poll date from midnight on Tuesday.

'As per the constitutional requirement, the election must be held between September 17 and October 16,' Ratnayake stated.

He noted that 17,140,000 registered voters, out of a 21 million population, are eligible to vote.

(With inputs from agencies.)