The regional election officials were told that they are to gazette April 25 as the election day…reports Asian Lite News
Sri Lanka’s Election Commission announced on Tuesday that April 25 is the suitable date to hold local council elections.
The commission also informed regional election officials that the local elections cannot be held on March 9 as scheduled due to unexpected and unavoidable reasons, Xinhua news agency reported.
The regional election officials were told that they are to gazette April 25 as the election day.
Regional election officials published gazettes earlier this year, announcing that local elections would be held on March 9. However, the elections were delayed after the government said there were inadequate funds.
Sri Lanka holds elections for local government bodies once every four years, and the postponed local elections were originally scheduled to be held in 2022.
Meanwhile, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said that Sri Lanka has received financial assurances from all major bilateral creditors, Sri Lanka-based Daily Mirror reported. The IMF board will hold a meeting on March 20 for the consideration of approval for the State Level Agreement for financing under an Extended Fund Facility.
In a statement, IMF noted that the financial assurances from creditors paves the way for consideration of approval of the state-level agreement reached on September 1, as per the Daily Mirror report. It further stated the arrangement will support the authorities program of ambitious reforms and will help Sri Lanka emerge from the current crisis.
“Sri Lanka has now received financing assurances from all major bilateral creditors. This paves the way for consideration by the IMF’s Board on March 20 the approval of the Staff Level Agreement reached on September 1, 2022 for financing under an Extended Fund Facility. Approval by the Board would also catalyze financing from other creditors, including the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank,” IMF said in a statement.
According to the Daily Mirror report, IMF further stated, “The arrangement will support the authorities’ program of ambitious reforms, that they have already embarked upon, which will help Sri Lanka emerge from its current crisis and set it on a trajectory of strong and inclusive growth.”
IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva welcomed the progress made by Sri Lankan authorities in taking decisive policy actions and obtaining financial assurances from major creditors, including India, China and the Paris Club.
Kristalina Georgieva tweeted, “I welcome the progress made by Sri Lankan authorities in taking decisive policy actions & obtaining financing assurances from all their major creditors, incl. China, India & the Paris Club. Look forward to presenting the IMF-supported program to our Exec. Board on March 20.” (ANI)