Two elections on same day not practical - CaFFE

The Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) movement has stated that conducting the presidential and provincial elections on the same day would not be plausible due to practical issues.

Issuing a statement, the election monitoring group recalled that Elections Commission officials during a meeting with election monitors had explained that it would not be practical to conduct two polls on the same day.

"The provincial elections could have been held without delay if back bench parliamentarians had showed enthusiasm in a manner similar to that of choosing the presidential candidate," CaFFE Acting Executive Director A. Manaz Makeen said.

He claimed that the polls have been delayed by more than one-and-a-half years due to the influence and demands of civic groups.

Makeen also observed that the governments in the recent past have been engaging in an undemocratic practice of conducting elections which would be advantageous to them first.

He further said that moves are afoot to conduct the parliamentary elections soon after the appointment of the next president to affirm the government's power while evading the provincial polls.

While emphasising that such efforts are undemocratic, Mr. Makeen said that this is being done since some parties would find it disadvantageous as it would outline the voter strength of each party.

At present, eight provincial councils stand dissolved with the Uva Provincial Council set to expire on October 8.

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