Sri Lanka court

Sri Lanka's Supreme Court has found President Ranil Wickremesinghe guilty of 'unlawful conduct' for indefinitely postponing local elections, initially scheduled for March 2023, which were seen as a referendum on his economic policies. The court ruled that the delay infringed on voters' constitutional rights, rejecting the government's claims of insufficient funds to conduct the elections. While the ruling has no immediate legal consequences due to Wickremesinghe's immunity, it mandates the independent election commission to hold the elections promptly without disrupting the upcoming presidential election on September 21. Wickremesinghe, who took office following the ousting of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa amid an economic crisis, faces criticism for his handling of the economy and is seeking re-election. His administration justified the postponement by claiming the need to allocate funds for public salaries and pensions, despite a previous court order to finance the elections. The court also ordered the state to cover legal fees for the petitioners who challenged the election delay.