Laws to monitor election campaigning

Laws will be introduced to regularize and monitor election expenditure by candidates and political parties in the aftermath of PTL owner Arjun Aloysius allegedly financing election campaigning, Local Government and Provincial Councils Minister Faizer Musthapha said yesterday.

He said he would appoint a committee made up of members of political parties, social groups, election monitoring groups and the civil society to recommend the modalities to monitor election campaigning.

The minister said the need to regularize and monitor election expenditure has been badly felt because money power plays a big role in election victories and in many instances the best candidate did not get elected through this system.

“However, without money, multi-party democracy cannot function. But money power involves certain risks such as an uneven playing field and the lack of fair competition.

They are essential to monitor the prevailing situation,” he said.“we can introduce the laws as an amendment to the Election Law or as a separate law after a wide ranging discussion among all stakeholders.” The minister stressed the need to study the laws in other countries to restrict excessive spending on election propaganda by businessmen and companies that would ultimately benefit leaving room for corruption.

With regard to PC polls, he said the responsibility lies in the hands of party leaders to approve the report. “I have done my part as the subject minister and tabled the delimitation report in Parliament,” the minister said.