The Election Commission has a responsibility to hold free and fair elections despite any hurdles that come in the way, chief justice Jayantha Jayasuriya said at the Supreme Court yesterday (05).
Jayasuriya is chairing a five-member panel of judges that takes up several petitions filed against the deferral of the local government polls that were due to take place on 09 March last year.
Lawyer for the Election Commission’s chairman and its members, Saliya Peiris, said all steps had been taken to hold the LG polls on time.
But, without allotting funds, the government tried to evade responsibility by passing it on to the commission, he noted.
The executive intentionally worked to sabotage the election, he charged further.
The SJB, NPP and the Centre for Policy Alternatives are the petitioners in this case.
The hearing is due to conclude today.
