This brief examines the financing of Sri Lanka’s Election Commission (EC) and the challenges surrounding the 2023 local elections, which became an unprecedented test of the Commission’s authority and financial independence. 

To provide context, the brief begins with a concise historical overview of the political and economic developments leading up to the elections. It then outlines the EMB’s core responsibilities and explains how its operations are typically supported through state funding. The analysis then details the significant departure from standard practice in the 2023 local elections and explores what went wrong. The brief concludes with a summary of the key findings and their implications for electoral integrity and institutional independence in Sri Lanka.