Rs. 11 billion for EC to conduct presidential poll next year

Appropriation Bill 2024 to be presented this month in Parliament;Rs. 203 billion rise in state expenditure

With presidential elections expected next year, the Election Commission has been allocated Rs. 11 billion through the 2024 Appropriation Bill that is due to be presented to Parliament this month.

Constitutionally, the presidential election must be concluded by October next year. President Ranil Wickremesinghe was elected by Parliament on July 20 last year, following the resignation of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. As such, Mr. Wickremesinghe is presently serving out the remainder of Mr. Rajapaksa’s term of office.

United National Party (UNP) General Secretary Palitha Range Bandara told the Sunday Times that the President’s term would be completed in September and elections would be called around that period.

As per the Appropriation Bill 2024, the expenditure of the government is estimated at Rs. 3,860 billion. This is an increase of Rs. 203 billion compared to 2023, when the estimated expenditure was Rs. 3,657 billion.

The Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government has been given the biggest allocation in the upcoming bill, with Rs. 886 billion, an increase from 2023, when it received Rs. 856 billion. This is followed by the Ministry of Finance, Economic Stabilisation, and National Policies with Rs. 723 billion. This is a significant increase compared to 2023, when it was allocated Rs. 614 billion.

The Ministry of Defence comes in third with Rs. 423 billion, while the Health Ministry has been given Rs. 410 billion. The Defence Ministry received Rs. 410 billion in 2023, and the Health Ministry received Rs. 322 billion.

The Ministry of Transport and Highways has been allocated Rs. 403.6 billion in the 2024 Bill.

Among other ministries, the Ministry of Education has been given Rs. 237 billion, and the Ministry of Public Security Rs. 140.7 billion. The Ministry of Agriculture will get Rs. 100 billion, while the Ministry of Irrigation will be given Rs. 84 billion.

The Office of the President, meanwhile, has been allocated Rs. 6.6 billion through the Appropriation Bill 2024.