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Regulations governing polls related material to be implemented soon
The Ministry of Environment and Renewable Energy will implement regulations and criteria within three months, on displaying election campaign materials, following approval from Minister Susil Premajayantha, , a legal officer attached to the ministry said.
The move comes after the Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ), a Non Government Organisation (NGO), moved court for legal action five years ago, seeking a ‘Writ of Mandamus’ against the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Central Environment Authority(CEA), compelling them to formulate regulations on displaying banners and hoardings in the country.
When the CEJ filed the case in 2009, it stated that illegal posters, banners and hoarding of various sizes were displayed in major cities, with the announcement of Provincial Council elections.
The Attorney General’s Dept informed the Court of Appeal that the CEA has already drafted a regulation and criteria on displaying posters, banners and hoardings during the election period, in order to control visual pollution and road safety.
The court, considering the draft regulations submitted by the CEA, ordered that it be to gazetted, after obtaining the views of the legal draftsman.
“With the approval of the minister, we can gazette it. If he wants the opinion of Parliament, he can submit it to Parliament too, but there is no need for that,” the official said.