Local elections: what next?

Dudley Senanayake, who was prime minister of this country four times (counting the short period he served after his father’s death before winning his own mandate in 1952) in his 62 years, once declared in parliament that Hansard could not be quoted against him. Although Ranil Wickremesinghe who has served as premier six times – though in a longer political career and lifetime – has outdone Dudley, there is no record of Dudley’s claim ever being proved incorrect. But all the fuss and bother now evident on whether or not the scheduled local government elections will be held has provoked bells, books and candles being flung at each other by mainstream political parties that have either been in government and parties that have collaborated with those in government.

Mealy-mouthed claims by the SLPP, especially its General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam, that they are prepared for and will win the elections cut no ice whatever with the electorate. Everybody, and most of all the incumbents, know that any election be it local, provincial or national will be disastrous for the Wickremesinghe – Rajapaksa regime. Even the notoriously short memories of the Sri Lankan people who have in recent months borne never before known hardships with more in store, will spare those in power of a trouncing. That much is certain. Hence the efforts that are being made by the day not to hold these already called elections for which nominations have closed and polling day set. There are forthcoming court actions challenging what the government is doing and, possibly, their determinations may be the last word on the subject.

But the drama is long drawn and the latest of many episodes saw last week’s show by the Government Printer. She’s said that ballot papers for seven (the unions said 10) districts have been already printed and the question of the required funds for what remains to be done will be discussed with the Treasury. Treasury Secretary Mahinda Siriwardene has, in a sworn affidavit, told court that there are no funds for an election and whether this matter will be settled before postal voting begins on the due date of Feb. 22, and continuing for two days thereafter, is still an open question. It is common knowledge that the government, without funds for everyday expenditure, has for long resorted to the printing press to fund its needs. The resulting inflation and its impact on the lives of the population is too well known to merit elaboration. There is no way a court will order a government, even one that recently splurged Rs. 200 million to celebrate 75 years of Independence despite its empty coffers, to print money and fund the election.

It was reported on Friday that the former Commissioner General of Elections, Mahinda Deshapriya, whose bearded countenance was an everyday sight on television screens on most days of the previous election season (presidential and parliamentary 2019 and 2020) has, may we say direly, predicted that if the election just down the road is postponed for want of funds, there is every prospects of other elections in the future suffering a similar fate. Right now Deshapriya is serving as Chairman of a five-member National Delimitation Commission for the demarcation of wards for local authorities. Whether that Commission has completed its task or not we do not know but its term is due to end, if not extended, by the end of this month. Asked what he would have done if faced with the current predicament, Deshapriya cannily said that is a matter for the incumbents.

Predictably, parties opposed to the ruling SLPP-UNP combine running for an election that may or may not be held, are flinging the allegation that the incumbents are in a blue funk. Everything that has happened in recent days and weeks regarding the LG elections have clearly demonstrated this to be true. The country is not new to the experience of due elections not being held. The rot began with Mrs. Bandaranaike’s United Front government of 1970 in which the old left of the LSSP and Communist Party were members. They were widely regarded a moral force in the politics of the early post and pre-Independence years before they entered coalition governments. That government postponed a national election by two years on the excuse that the JVP’s 1971 insurrection cost them part of their elected term.

Then came JRJ’s infamous referendum and the grant of a second term sans elections to an incumbent parliament enabling the UNP to maintain its five sixths majority of 1977 without facing the country. It was widely alleged that the referendum was rigged though not conclusively proved.

Since then there have been numerous actions of omission and commission by the mainstream parties, including the JVP that has threatened to take to the streets if the LG polls are postponed. Has the JVP forgotten how they attempted with armed violence to disrupt election in the eighties and even murdered those who dared to vote? However that be, what is of immediate relevance is what is happening now with a president unelected by the people and beholden to the discredited Rajapaksas for his office, is doing now. Nobody can predict what will happen if this present despicable endeavour succeeds. Sri Lanka is already off the frying pan and in the fire. Can we afford street violence and protests that the ongoing undemocratic project will surely provoke?