Election Commission in dilemma over holding bond debate before LG polls

• Urgent meeting of Commission summoned to seek a solution

• Deshapriya to meet party leaders to raise issue

• Commission urges trade unions to refrain from trade union action until 15 Feb.

The decision to commence the parliamentary debate on the bond commission and large-scale corruption and fraud commission reports just two days prior to the Local Government (LG) Elections has presented the Election Commission with a serious dilemma. Election Commission Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya, speaking to the media, said that the Commission was facing a precarious situation where they could neither ask the Parliament to hold elections nor disregard the debate which may extend to the mandatory ‘silent days’, where all campaigning had to seize before the polls.

“We have to discuss this. What debate the Parliament has is not relevant to the Commission at all. The only issue is that the two following days, 9 and 10 February, are silent days. It is a dilemma for the Commission. If we tell Parliament not to hold it some will say it was the Commission which stopped it, if we tell them to stop then they will say we are acting in a way that will help one party only,” Deshapriya said.  

The Commission will convene to discuss the steps that can be taken regarding the situation, he said, adding that they also planned to discuss the matter with all political parties.

Deshapriya said that if the election was to be postponed due to any reason, according to regulations, the next date had to be set after a period of three weeks, not before. However, the Commission does not view postponement favourably, he said.

“We are making every effort to hold the elections on 10 February,” he insisted.

“It is now the tail end of the election, ballot papers have been printed, posters have been made, postal voting has been conducted; we are now waiting for 10 February.”

The Commission was also appealing to trade unions not to resort to trade union action until 15 February, when Local Government elections had wrapped up.

Deshapriya said that they were facing a tough time carrying out functions related to the elections due to continuous trade union action, pointing out that even if one essential government service such as the train service saw trade union action on or around the polls day, the Commission would not be able to stage the election.

Noting that some local government bodies in areas such as Puthukuduirippu had not seen an election since 1970, Deshapriya assured that every step would be taken to avoid postponing the LG polls