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It’s a feel-good election for the moment Police prepare to tackle posters
Election observers are happy about a fairly orderly start to the election campaign and urged all stakeholders, including the general public, to help maintain this atmosphere.
Unlike in previous elections, posters and cutouts are not tolerated with the police taking these down as fast as they are being put up, in keeping with strict guidelines. “At the moment there exists a ‘feel-good’ atmosphere and it’s hoped that this climate will remain until the end of the campaign and even moving onto the day of voting,” said Rohana Hettiarachchi of the election watchdog group, People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL).
“There have been a limited number of election-related complaints (135 as of Friday) from across the country and from all sides but these figures are likely to increase at the campaign moves on to the home stretch,” Mr. Hettiarachchi said.
The complaints revolved around 15 cases of violence, 35 election-law violations, such as the abuse of state machinery and other resources and bribes among others, he said.
Mr. Hettiarachchi said that in the coming days the police who have been tasked with tackling unlawful poster campaigns would be hard-pressed as some 6,500 candidates who have entered the fray would be eager to go public with their messages. Other state agencies such as the local councils should also play a part, PAFFREL said.
The election authorities have given Rs. 70 million to the Police Department to hire people for the task of removing the election material but this may prove inadequate to cover the 300-plus police stations throughout the country, Mr. Hettiaarachchi explained.
He added that local councils were legally bound to assist in this exercise and combined efforts were needed to help to keep the environment clean while also reducing tension and clashes as was the recent case in Kalawana where supporters of one party stormed the local police station at midnight and forced police to release an individual who had been arrested.
“The end result was that the Officer-in-Charge of the Kalawana Police Station, along with two other junior officers, was immediately interdicted on a directive from the Police Chief, N.K. Illangakoon, while the midnight raiders were allowed to go free without any charges.
From Jaffna to Colombo war on the walls: All major parties violate elections guidelines on posters. Pix by N. Parameshwaran and Indika Handuwala
“This should never have been the case since it could encourage copy-cat situations that could even lead to violence thereby dampening the true spirit of such an important election,” Mr. Hettiarachchi pointed out.
“If the assistance of the local councils is sought by the police or any other authority to assist in removing the posters and other related political propaganda material from public places it will be definitely provided,” the outgoing Minister for Public Administration, Karu Jayasuriya, said.
But, he added: “It is better for the police to carry out the task in an independent manner since the issue is of a political nature and the councils are made up of elected members with different political affiliations”. Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya has repeatedly called on all parties to stay within the laws and regulations and has warned that any violators would face heavy fines and even stiff jail terms.
Mr. Deshapriya repeatedly stressed that the public walls and other places should be free of posters, cutouts and other related polls propaganda material.
He said candidates who had employed cunning tactics such has having their faces plastered on billboards put up during international conferences and other events held two years ago would be disappointed because police had been instructed to take down billboards relating to election candidates since those amounted to a violation of the law and was unfair to other contestants.
He said candidates engaging in house-to-house campaigns would have their visiting groups restricted to 15 persons and that parades, music instruments and the lighting of crackers were banned on grounds of sound pollution.
A senior police official said each police division would make decisions on hiring of workers to remove propaganda since their needs differed. “For example, the Colombo electorate cannot be compared with that of Weeraketiya when it comes to size and extent and the number of candidates in the fray and therefore people will be hired accordingly,” the official said.