One candidate costs Rs 10.5 M The Department of Elections, though yet to finalize the total cost of the Provincial Council election, concluded yesterday, that electing 142 candidates for the Northern, Central and North-Western Provincial Councils, would cost the government a whopping Rs 1,500 million. Accordingly, the government is spending approximately Rs 10.5 million to elect one candidate. Commissioner of Elections, Mahinda Deshapriya, said on an earlier occasion that costs for the Provincial Council elections would see an increase due to the increased electricity tariffs. “There would be an increase by over Rs 100 million in the estimated costs for the Provincial Council elections. “The Elections Department had estimated the Provincial Council election would cost Rs 1.35 billion, but with the increased electricity tariffs, the Department will need about Rs 1.5 billion,” he said. According to Deshapriya, a sum of Rs 850 million was earlier allocated for the Northern Provincial Council elections, but the amount had to be increased after the North-Western and Central Provincial Councils were also dissolved prematurely. Some 3,785 candidates from 126 political parties and 75 independent groups contested the election. Out of this, 50 candidates will be appointed to North-Western Province while another 36 Councillors and 56 Councillors will be appointed to the Northern and Central Provincial Councils respectively. Nominations for the election were accepted between 25 July 2013 and 1 August 2013. A total of 210 nominations (131 from registered political parties, 79 from independent groups) were received by the returning officers, of which, 201 nominations (126 from registered political parties, 75 from independent groups) were accepted and nine nominations (five from registered political parties, four from independent groups) were rejected. The United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA), the United National Party (UNP) and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) are contesting in all 10 Districts. The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) is contesting in the five Districts in the Northern Province, whilst the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), a constituent party of the UPFA, is contesting separately in seven districts.
Posted on: Sun, 22 Sep 2013 17:15:10 +0000
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