Ruling coalition leads election law violations, say polls monitors
Election monitoring bodies last week said that complaints of election law violations by the ruling coalition is on the increase.
The Centre for Monitoring Election Violence ( CMEV) said that, as of Friday ( 18), it has received 296 complaints in 10 days, the major part of it being abuse of state property.
CMEV Executive Director Manjula Gajanayake said that state job appointments and handouts are being distributed indiscriminately.
Last week, the CMEV stopped the UNP’s move to grant cash relief to tea smallholders to compensate for the drop in price of tea in the world market.
On Friday ( 18), two complaints of of ficial vehicles of the Divulapitiya Pradeshiya Sabha ( PS) and the Katunayake Urban Council displaying the SLPP party flags and posters were received.
In Badulla, violating the CEA order, the UNP had used polythene to decorate a meeting. In Dehiwela a byroad was carpeted by the SLPP .
Complaint of a SLPP party office operating close to the Lalith Athulathmudali school in Mount Lavinia, has also been reported.
The CMEV has stopped Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera
from giving out job appointments to UNP supporters in Matara and Colombo.
Mr. Gajanayake stressed that the Election Department is taking immediate action against all complaints.
The Election Commissioner has taken brave steps and directed the state media to be impartial to all parties and allocate fair air time and equal coverage for all parties.
Where posters, cutouts and billboards were concerned, he said there were still some remaining, although the Election Department had allocated Rs.45.8 billion to the police to remove the displays.
Many have been seen in Anuradhapura, Kalutara, Galle, Polonnaruwa and Dehiwala areas.
Unlike the last presidential election, this time around, three parties- UNP, SLPP and SLFP- are in power and the ruling parties are blatantly using state resources, violating election laws.
Election monitoring body People’s Action for Free & Fair election ( PAFFREL) also pointed out that cutouts and posters can still be seen in public places. "But it is very much less compared with the last presidential election, where cutouts were displayed at every junction," Executive Director Rohana Heetiarachchi said.
PAFFREL has received 98 complaints in relation to election law violations, including one incident of assault. Two persons have been hospitalised.
Mr. Heettiarachchi said abuse of state property is rampant. Unlike last time, the Provincial Councils and PSs are ruled by the SLPP, and they too are involved in the indiscriminate use of state property for election propaganda.
PAFFREL, he said, would hold ministry secretaries and heads of departments responsible for these incidents. If identified, he said legal action will be taken against them. He said that public sector employees who are being penalised for being law abiding, by their superiors, could complain to PAFFREL, and it will be taken up with the Election Commissioner.
The Election office had received 938 complaints of violence, violation of election laws and others since nomination day ( October 7)-October 18 (Friday).
The office said it had received 8 incidents of violence and 900 complaints of violation of election Law.
Meanwh i l e, the Election Commissioner has sent out directive to all State employees that persons attempting to influence co- workers, friends and subordinates to vote for a particular political, will be penalised.
School principals and acting/ vice principals have been asked to refrain from allowing propaganda meetings or the distribution of propaganda material. The letter said that the officials will be held responsible if there were complaints.