Sri Lanka can’t even afford to hold first poll since crisis, says election commission

Opposition members stage protest in parliament demanding local body elections

A severely cash-strapped Sri Lanka lacks funds to even hold local elections scheduled for next month, the country's election agency said.

The 9 March elections would be the first polls held in the South Asian country since last year's economic turmoil.

The Election Commission informed the country's apex court on Monday that it has not received the required funds from the government's treasury department.