Monitors want'clean' candidates

With the declaration of elections for three provincial councils, polls observers yesterday requested respective political parties not to submit nominations to politicians with a criminal track record.

People Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL)

Executive Director

Mr. Hettiarachchi said he would request political parties not to nominate politicians with a criminal track record to contest the upcoming elections

Rohana Hettiarachchi told the Daily Mirror yesterday he , in a random survey , identified 48 incidents where public representatives had been involved in crimes such as robberies, murders and various other antisocial activities in recent times.

Local leaders might tend to accommodate such persons on board at this election, expecting financial support for their future election campaigns," he said.

Centre for Monitoring Elections Violence (CMEV) also stressed the importance of maintaining intra party discipline. CMEV Director Dr. Pakiasothy Saravanamuttu said that the parties should take steps to field candidates with unblemished records to the election.

Local leaders might tend to accommodate such persons on board at this election, expecting financial support for their future election campaigns