PAFFREL urges EC to invite foreign election observers

The People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL), a key election monitoring group in Sri Lanka has urged the Election Commission to invite foreign monitoring groups for the upcoming elections.
 
The Executive Director of the group,  Rohana Hettiaarachchi has written to the Chairman of the Election Commission urging him to invite a delegation of International Election Observers.
 
His letter said;
 
“Currently, there is an election heat building up in the country, and it seems that political parties have focused their attention on several elections. 

As per the Constitution, the presidential election should be held before the 17th October 2024, and since the Election Commission led by you has full powers and responsibility, we believe that there will not be a possibility of changing the stipulated election dates using political power. 

In order to set the date for the election, it is important that the nomination period and campaign period should be considered practically, and we believe that the election will be announced after considering the nomination and campaign periods.
 
A tough competition could be expected in the upcoming election. 

Also, the Regulation of Election Expenditure Act is also going to be implemented for the first time. 

The candidates are likely to use mainstream media as well as social media. 

Accordingly, the upcoming election is likely to assume a very heated atmosphere.
Therefore, we request you and the Election Commission to make necessary arrangements urgently, to invite the international observers for this year’s election. 

The participation of local and foreign election observers in election monitoring is a factor that strengthens the credibility of the election.
 
As per the constitutional provisions it would be possible for us to form an idea about the date of declaration of the election. 

Therefore, there is no problem about inviting the international observers so that they get adequate time to prepare themselves. 

Therefore, we respectfully request that the invitations for the international observers be sent in a timely manner.”