Public Finance Data and Analysis
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The General Election is approaching, and the government expects to spend LKR 11 billion. This includes LKR 5 billion from the consolidated fund for 2024, with the remaining LKR 6 billion to be charged in next year's budget. This represents a 93% increase compared to the LKR 5.7 billion spent in 2020, although the government does not always spend the full allocated amount—it spent only LKR 5.7 billion out of the LKR 8 billion allocated last time in 2020 general election.
In 2020, more than half of the expenditure was on salaries, overtime, and allowances for election staff, totaling LKR 3.2 billion (56% of the total expenditure). Other significant costs included fuel and vehicle rentals amounting to LKR 499 million, and printing costs of LKR 463 million. See Exhibit 1 for the full expenditure breakdown.
Exhibit 1: General election expenditure
|
Category |
Cost |
Share as a % of total expenditure |
|
Staff salaries, overtime and allowances |
3,205,284,448.52 |
56% |
|
Fuel and Vehicle costs |
499,475,785.00 |
|
|
Rent for vehicles |
263,464,532.40 |
9% |
|
Fuel |
236,011,252.60 |
|
|
Printing costs |
463,369,408.87 |
8% |
|
Electricity, Telephone Water & other services |
374,944,883.63 |
|
|
Services including water and telephone; and other expenses |
186,956,579.56 |
7% |
|
Electricity |
187,988,304.07 |
|
|
Welfare expenses |
302,869,916.80 |
5% |
|
Expenses like stationery / office equipment |
225,751,656.27 |
4% |
|
Health safety material and equipment |
213,771,502.15 |
4% |
|
Facilities at polling stations |
212,147,547.26 |
4% |
|
Other |
229,967,810.69 |
|
|
Advertising (inclusive of payments to Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation and Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation) |
52,974,076.00 |
4% |
|
Accommodation, rents to buildings |
14,755,284.90 |
|
|
Stamp and postage charges |
1,456,175.00 |
|
|
Constructions and Repairs |
104,814,810.47 |
|
|
Removal of illegal display boards |
55,967,464.32 |
|
|
Total expenditure |
5,727,582,959 |
|
Note
"Other" includes advertising, accommodation and building rents, stamp and postage charges, construction and repairs, and illegal display board removal
Source
Election Commission Sri Lanka Publication Report on Parliamentary Elections 2020. At https://elections.gov.lk/web/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Publication_Report_Par_Ele_2020_E.pdf [last accessed 11 November 2024]
Department of Government Information Sri Lanka "Cabinet Decisions 30 September 2024." At https://www.dgi.gov.lk/news/cabinet-decisions/4704-cabinet-decisions-2024-09-30 [last accessed 11 November 2024]
