Saturday Nov 02, 2024
FT
Saturday Nov 02, 2024
Wednesday, 16 October 2024 00:04 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The Election Commission of Sri Lanka (ECSL) yesterday announced plans to initiate legal proceedings against Presidential candidates Battaramulle Seelarathana Thera, P. Ariyanethran, and Sarath Keerthiratne for failing to submit their Presidential election expenditure reports by the specified deadline.
According to a statement issued by the ECSL yesterday, 35 out of the 38 candidates had successfully submitted their expenditure reports before the final deadline, which lapsed on 13 October.
The ECSL noted that 15 candidates, including election front-runners President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and former Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, submitted their reports on the final day.
The new campaign finance laws passed under the Regulation of Election Expenditure Bill in 2023 mandate that all candidates submit their reports within 21 days of the election results being declared. Failure to meet this deadline could result in legal action and penalties under the Presidential Election Act of 1981, which will however 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) was allocated for spending by the candidate’s nominating party or individual.
