TISL salutes Elections Commissioner, requests speedy action against election law violators

Thursday, 20 August 2015 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

As a leading civil society organisation in the promotion of good governance and the integrity of the electoral process, Transparency International Sri Lanka wishes to congratulate and extend its warmest gratitude to the Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya and the staff of the Elections Department for ensuring a peaceful, free and fair Parliamentary election was held in Sri Lanka on 17 August.

The nature of this election and the pre-election period has sent out a clear message to the world that Sri Lanka is capable of conducting elections in a peaceful manner upholding the democratic rights of its citizens and the integrity of the electoral process.

TISL also acknowledges the services rendered by the Police Department and its officers and the support given to the Elections Commissioner and his staff to conduct a Parliamentary election which can be considered as one of the most peaceful elections held in Sri Lanka.

TISL also wishes to thank President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister elect Ranil Wickremesinghe for creating an environment which enabled the Police and the public officials to function in an impartial manner and act promptly to quell election law violations whenever and wherever they happened.

During the election period TISL’s election monitoring arm, Programme for Protection of Public Resources (PPPR) recorded more than 320 complaints with regards to the misuse of public resources for election purposes. Out of all the complaints received by PPPR more than 75 complaints involve the misuse of State owned vehicles and 65 of these complaints involve the misuse of public officials for campaigning activities.

TISL has made several complaints to the relevant authorities including the Elections Commissioner on misuse of Government vehicles from motor cars and double cabs to SLTB buses by candidates as well as the physical use of public buildings and vacant land and the participation of public servants from trainees to executive officers with all the evidences.

TISL appreciates the prompt action taken by the Commissioner, Assistant Commissioners and the Police to stop several of these incidents following its complaints and requests authorities to take speedy action against Election Law violators to further strengthen the integrity of the concluded election.

TISL also requests the public to maintain the peaceful atmosphere even during the post-election period and uphold the reputation of being able to hold a free and fair election.