Expenditure reports of over 65% of Presidential candidates pending

Saturday, 12 October 2024 01:34 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Only 13 out of 38 candidates have submitted reports
With Sunday as deadline President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, former Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, former MP Namal Rajapaksa, and businessman Dilith Jayaweera, have yet to submit their reports
Failure to comply will result in only a measly penalty of
Rs. 100,000 as per the Presidential Election Act of 1981

By Maneshka Borham

The Election Commission of Sri Lanka (ECSL) has disclosed that only 13 out of the 38 candidates (or 34%) who contested the 2024 Presidential Election have submitted their Election Expenditure Reports as of yesterday.

This comes despite the new campaign finance laws, passed under the Regulation of Election Expenditure Bill in 2023, which mandate that all candidates submit their reports within 21 days of the election results being declared.

Among the candidates who have already complied are Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, Siritunge Jayasuriya, Mahinda Dewage, Premasiri Manage, K.A. Kularatne, Abubakar Muhammadu Infaas, Priyantha Wickramasinghe, Antony Victor Perera, Sarath Bandaranayake, Janaka Ratnayake, K.K. Piyadasa, and Pani Wijesiriwardane.

However, several leading candidates, including the election’s winner, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, former Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, former MP Namal Rajapaksa, and businessman Dilith Jayaweera, have yet to submit their reports.

The ECSL has set a final deadline of 13 October 2024, by 3:00 p.m., for all candidates to hand in their expenditure reports. Failure to meet this deadline could result in penalties under the Presidential Election Act of 1981, which will be a measly Rs. 100,000.

According to the law, the expenditure reports must detail donations, loans, advances, deposits, and the identities of donors and contributors. Additionally, candidates are required to submit records of their expenses and relevant invoices.

These reports will be accessible to the public for a fee.

The ECSL had previously imposed a spending cap of Rs. 109 per voter during the 2024 presidential polls. Under the new regulations, each candidate was allowed to spend a maximum of Rs. 1.8 billion, with only 60% of that amount (around Rs. 1.12 billion) permitted to be spent directly by the candidates themselves. The remaining 40% (approximately Rs. 747.3 million) is allocated for spending by the candidate’s nominating party or individual.

As the deadline approaches, the ECSL has urged all candidates to comply with the law to avoid legal consequences.