Postal voting of Sri Lanka’s 2023 Local Government Election postponed indefinitely

The postal voting for Sri Lanka’s 2023 Local Government Election was postponed until further notice, Election Commissioner General Saman Sri Rathnayake announced today (February 17).

The postal voting for the upcoming local government election was scheduled to be held on February 22, 23, 24 and 28.

The Commissioner General said the postal voting was postponed as the Government Printer has not supplied the postal ballot papers on time as agreed.

He said new dates for postal voting will be announced in due course.

Meanwhile, Government Printer Gangani Liyanage, has requested the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to strengthen the necessary security arrangements for the printing work of the local government election without any hindrance.

Speaking to media, Gangani Liyanage noted that only three police officers have been deployed despite the request made from the police chief to deploy 60 officers (35 during daytime and 25 at night) to oversee the security matters of the local government election’s printing work.

She also mentioned that the initial printing work related to the upcoming local government election is already completed.

On Tuesday (February 14), the Election Commission of Sri Lanka, citing “unavoidable reasons”, announced that ballot papers for the postal voting could not be distributed as scheduled on February 15.