People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) today filed a Fundamental Rights petition in the Supreme Court seeking an order directing the Election Commission to take steps to conduct the Local Authorities Election 2023 forthwith according to law.
The petitioners, the PAFFREL and its Executive Director Rohana Hettiarachchi, are further seeking an order directing the Treasury Secretary to release funds as allocated by the Budget for the year 2023 to the Election Commission and other governmental departments.
The petitioners state that the Cabinet Memorandum, with the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers, has sought to advise the Secretary to the Treasury to release funds only for the expenditure incurred with local funds until the revenue condition reaches the expected level. The petitioners are further seeking an order quashing this Cabinet Memorandum until the final determination of this petition. This petition had been filed through Attorney-at-Law Manjula Balasuriya.
