News
Blatant abuse of authority and misuse of State assets dominate polls campaigns
View(s):
JVP’s Tilvin Silva and Lal Kantha leave the Election’s Commissioner’s office after lodging a complaint regarding the attack on their street drama recently
A candidate for the Western Provincial Council (WPC) last week distributed gift vouchers worth Rs 1,500 from a clothing shop, at his election campaign in the Ja-Ela area. He told residents that they would be entitled to a discount of Rs. 1,500 even if their purchase was for Rs 2,000 but, as one of the residents found out, the purchase value should exceed Rs 4,999 to be entitled to the discount.This was one of the many ruses by candidates to attract voters ahead of the March 29 PC elections.
In some areas, boxes of matches, exercise books and various other items displaying the preferential numbers of candidates, are allegedly being distributed among the constituents, while canvassing for the forthcoming PC elections. By yesterday Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) had received 791 complaints including 754 instances of election law violations and 37 cases of election violence. Of the 791 complaints, 467 were from the WP and 307 from the SP, while 17 incidents were common to both provinces.
According to the election violence summary of CaFFE, the highest number of complaints, 234, was received from the Colombo district, with 100 and 108 incidents reported from Gampaha and Kalutara districts respectively. Matara, with 121 complaints, was the highest from the SP.“This is the highest number of complaints we have ever received after the establishment of CaFFE in 2008, which is a frightening scenario, as this is only for elections in two provinces,” said CaFFE Executive Director, Keerthi Tennakoon.
“The scale of abuse of State property, especially related to propaganda activities, is alarmingly large for this election. But it is a good sign that the gravity of violence such as assaults and property damage is at a lower level,” he added. Mr Tennakoon emphasized that there should be a proper mechanism to address each and every issue, particularly to reduce the abuse of State assets, which is 39% of total election law violations for the WP and SP elections.
PAFFREL Director, Rohana Hettiarachchi told the Sunday Times that the misuse of government property for election campaigns is high in the education field, with the highest instances of State property abuse reported from the Matara district. “A WPC UPFA candidate organised a ceremony to felicitate Samurdhi officials in the Colombo district on February 28, using PC grants,” he revealed, adding that, the candidate has violated the election law by enacting his former official powers to spend government grants on his election propaganda.
“The impact of misusing government property and power for the elections is a serious issue,” he added. Chief Executive of Network for Election Monitoring (NEM)) Dr Uditha Gunasekara claimed that a State doctor who is contesting for the WPC, has reportedly collected his salary for February from the Jayawardenapura Hospital.
“If an executive officer in government service hands over nominations for elections, he should resign from office. But this particular candidate has violated the election law by receiving wages while contesting for elections,” he claimed. Meanwhile, Elections Commissioner Mahinada Deshapriya announced that the last date for acceptance of applications for temporary identity cards issued through the Dept of Elections, has been extended till next Friday (21).