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Despite strong warnings, election law violations continue
While the new electoral system was supposed to do away with the ugly spectacle of candidates fighting for preferential votes and engaging in poster wars, posters and cutouts are still appearing in large numbers ahead of February’s local council elections.
In spite of a ban on election posters printing presses are busy churning out posters. Pix by Athula Devapriya and Indika Handuwala
The Sunday Times’ correspondents throughout the country have reported that propaganda posters and cutouts are still seen in many areas, despite the Election Commission Authority and the Police saying there would be a crackdown on such violations during the campaign for the February 10 local polls.
According to Police Headquarters, 44 people have been arrested for 15 incidents of alleged election law violations. Ten suspects have been arrested for allegedly driving vehicles displaying posters, banners and flags of political parties and candidates. Four were arrested for allegedly usng loudspeakers fitted to vehicles for propaganda work.Thirty people were arrested for allegedly having propaganda posters or pasting them.
One major incident was reported from Batticaloa on Friday. Within an hour of starting his election campaign in Batticaloa, Former North-Eastern Provincial Council Chief Minister Varadharaja Perumal was arrested along with several supporters for allegedly distributing propaganda leaflets. They were taken to the Batticaloa Police Station. After Batticaloa Police recorded a statement, Mr Perumal and his supporters were warned and released.
Police said they had received 36 election-related complaints — five regarding assault and 14 related to threats and intimidation. There were five complaints relating to the distribution of goods and equipment, while three related to attacks on houses and property.
On Friday, the Elections Commission (EC) reiterated there was a strict prohibition on using either government or personal funds to distribute financial or material aid to promote candidates or political parties/groups contesting the local government polls. The Commission rejected claims that it had overlooked such offences.
The JVP said no posters; but here they are!
Meanwhile, at a meeting held with the Inspector General of Police (IGP) on Friday (29), election watchdog People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) handed over a list it claimed contains details of candidates who allegedly have criminal records. The information was given based on complaints received by the March 12 Movement. PAFFREL said it urged the IGP to probe the allegations against these candidates and to monitor their activities during the election period.
The organisation also urged the IGP to order a probe at police station level, whether individuals involved in criminal activities are being fielded as candidates from their respective areas. PAFFREL earlier warned that some Samurdhi and Agrarian Services field officers who were now legally prevented from contesting the polls in their areas were attempting to circumvent the law by fielding family members. Having done so, these officers were now miusing their official powers to organise meetings for the candidates and to promise voters various incentives through government programmes, PAFFREL claimed in a letter to Elections Commission Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya. Moreover, some family members were even misleading voters by claiming that they would resign if they were to win and pave the way for the former member to take over their post, the election monitor added.
... and what comes up the police bring down
| 10,000 monitors for local council polls More than 10,000 election monitors will be deployed during the upcoming local council polls across 14,000 polling stations in the country, election watchdogs said. With no international monitors deployed this time, local election watchdogs have decided to coordinate their work and deploy monitors in all polling stations.The People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL), one of the two election monitoring bodies granted approval by the Election Commission (EC) to access polling booths, is expected to deploy 8,000 election monitors across the country. “We are having discussions with other election monitoring bodies for cooperation where we don’t have to deploy several monitors to a single polling centre and monitors can be deployed in an organised pattern,” PAFFREL chief Rohana Hettiyarachchi said. Another election watchdog recognised to deploy its agents in polling centers, Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV), said it would deploy 5,000 monitors in consultation with other such movements. With about 900,000 of registered voters suffering from various disabilities, CMEV National Coordinator oManjula Kajanayake said they were working with the Election Commission to provide proper access for them at polling stations. | |