Over 40% candidates yet to submit Assets and Liability Declarations

Almost 60% of the candidates contesting the Parliamentary election have so far submitted their Assets and Liability Declarations according to the information received from the election offices throughout the island, Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) in a press release reveals.  

Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya had instructed all the candidates, including those contesting as Independents, to submit their declarations on or before 30 July. The Commissioner has declared that the candidates who do not submit Assets and Liability Declarations will not be issued with candidature identity cards. 

Interestingly, more than 75% of the candidates from the three major parties – Freedom Alliance (UPFA), United National Front and Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna – have submitted their Assets and Liability Declarations. All the candidates belong to Janasetha Peramuna have submitted their declarations.

In the Kandy, Nuwara Eliya and Trincomalee Districts, more than 60% of the candidates have submitted while in a few districts including the Matara District, less than 50% have submitted their Assets and Liabilities Declarations.

TISL believes in an election declaration of candidates’ assets and liability is very vital and improves integrity of an election. Hence TISL requests all the candidates who have failed to submit their Assets and Liability Declarations to submit them within the next few days to meet the deadline announced by the Commissioner of Elections.