Presidential Secretariat gets involved in election process

In an unprecedented move, the Presidential Secretariat wrote to state institutions this week instructing them to send to the National Election Commission details of staff and state vehicles to be used for election purposes – though the NEC has already sent the relevant circular to respective departments weeks ago.

The circular issued by Presidential Secretary P. B. Jayasundera is titled “Collection of data relating to all officers and government vehicles to be engaged for election purposes”. It instructs that all government officers who are expected to be engaged for duties at polling stations, counting duties and government vehicles which are to be used for election purposes at the forthcoming Parliamentary polls should be sent to the Commission.

“As such you are kindly requested to take necessary steps forthwith to provide the Election Commission with the details requested as specifically instructed. As senior Government Officers, your special and personal supervision is required for this purpose and I expect your fullest cooperation for the above purposes,” the circular said.

Stressing that this was the first time where the Presidential Secretariat issued a separate circular in this regard on conducting elections, a highly placed NEC source said this move downplayed the functions of the Commission and the Commission was notified of such a circular being sent from the Presidential Secretariat.

Meanwhile, government institutions have already taken steps to compile data of government staff and vehicles to be used as per the circular issued by the Commission weeks ago. However, some senior government officials expressed concerns on why the Presidential Secretariat got itself involved in the electoral process which is solely handled by the Commission.