Candidates required to disclose election funding sources under new regulations

Under new regulations to be imposed on maximum expenditure by candidates at elections a full disclosure would have to be made regarding the source of funding.

The regulation which been now gazetted  will be turned into a law  after gaining approval in Parliament.

The candidate will be required to disclose the name, address and the national identity card of any person who provides for the election campaign.

Accepting donations from a government department, a public corporation or a company incorporated under the Companies Act , a foreign government, an international organization or a body corporate incorporated or registered outside Sri Lanka or from any person whose identity is not disclosed.

Under the regulations the Election Commission will determine the maximum expenditure by each candidate at an election depending on the number of registered voters in the respective electoral area, after regulations on Election Expenditure is approved in Parliament.

The maximum expenditure will be decided by the Election Commission depending on the particular elections and by multiplication of the number voters in the respective area.

For the Local Government election, the amount will be decided on the number of voters in the respective local authority.

For the Provincial elections it will be decided based on the registered voters in the in the administrative district contested by the candidate while for the Parliamentary election expenses will be decided based on the number of registered voters in all the electoral districts contested by the candidate.

The expenses for the Presidential elections will be decided from the multiplication of the total number of registered voters in the electoral district in the island.  

Under the regulations if a candidate incurs expenditure in excess of the authorized amount it would be an offence punishable under the respective election law under which the election was conducted.