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Presidential contenders get 90 minutes to air their views
View(s):All Presidential election candidates, who place deposits with the Elections Secretariat, have each been allocated 90 minutes of television time and radio time, Elections Additional Commissioner U. Amaradasa said.
“Each candidate would be able to claim 90 minutes in one go or could claim it on a 30 minute or 15 minute basis,” he said adding that if the candidates wished to claim more TV time or radio time, they could do so by paying the media organisation separately. The candidates can, however, only obtain an additional 45 minutes.
“Where two or more candidates agree to debate on any matter of national importance, it shall be the duty of the Director-General of Broadcasting to afford broadcasting facilities to such candidates. However the time permitted for such debate shall not exceed the time allotted to each candidate,” he said.
This broadcasting time has been granted to all Presidential candidates by Section 117 of the Presidential Elections Act (No. 15 of 1981).
The Act also states that the order in which each candidate shall use the broadcasting facilities shall be determined, in the first instance by agreement among the candidates or in the absence of such agreement by lots cast or drawn in such manner as the Director-General of Broadcasting may, in his absolute discretion, determine.
The candidates will send us requests for time allocations and we will strive to do our best to adhere to this. However in the event of a clash between the time slots, I will, by the authority given to me under the 1981 Act provide these candidates with suitable time slots,” Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC) Chairman Wimal Rubasinghe said.
He added “I will carry out this task in a responsible manner without any form of bias.”