Election law violations and violence, in the run-up to the presidential election 2019, have been steadily increasing with the Election Commission (EC) receiving over 150 complaints thus far. The EC on Friday (11) said that it had received 113 complaints in a 24-hour period between 4.30 p.m. on Wednesday (9) and 4.30 p.m. on Thursday (10). Of the 113, two complaints were pertaining to election violence and 109 to election law violations. Meanwhile, the EC disclosed to The Sunday Morning that as of Thursday, the complaints division of the Election Secretariat had received a total 269 complaints. Of the total 269, five were related to election violence and 262 were concerning election law violations. The EC said it received 156 poll-related complaints, 153 relating to a violation of election laws, and three relating to electoral violence. Within 24 hours, the EC had received 92 of said complaints on law violations and one complaint of violence. These complaints have been lodged by the EC’s Election Complaint Management Unit and similar divisions set up in all districts. The Election Complaints Unit was set up in September in the lead up to the presidential election with officials highlighting that social media platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram would be closely monitored this time round. The People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) said it had received 38 complaints so far. One complaint was concerning the appointments being made to the staff of Palali Airport even before completing the airport’s construction. Another complaint was regarding the use of employees of the Sigiriya Division of the Central Cultural Fund for a rally supporting United National Front (UNF) presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa, PAFFREL Chairman Rohana Hettiarachchi said. Additionally, PAFFREL had also received a complaint that former Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) Chairman Hudson Samarasinghe had hosted a politically biased radio programme on V FM. The Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) had received a total 32 of complaints regarding election law violations and violence. CMEV National Co-ordinator Manjula Gajanayake said one such complaint was regarding appointments made to the Samurdhi Bank in Badulla. He said that appointments had been made to the Computer Training Department of the Samurdhi Bank and that a demonstration had been carried out by Samurdhi employees in protest of the appointments. A complaint had also been made that Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Councillors had used the staff of the Dengue Control Unit for campaign activities of their presidential candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Buses of Lanka Salt Ltd., Hambantota had been used for campaign activities, Gajanayake said. Election laws require amendments With regard to election violence, Gajanayake said that a complaint had been received on Wednesday (9) that a supporter of Sajith Premadasa had been assaulted by a SLPP supporter at a bus stand. Additionally, the CMEV had also received a complaint regarding a number of appointments being made to the staff of national carrier SriLankan Airlines. “We have already lodged a complaint at the Election Commission regarding the appointments being made at SriLankan Airlines.” Meanwhile, another prominent election monitoring body – Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) – said that it had received some 115 complaints. CaFFE Executive Director Ahmed Manas Makeen told The Sunday Morning that 90% of the complaints were regarding election law violations. “A majority of the complaints were concerning election law violations and illegal campaign activities such as putting up posters and cut-outs.” He said that despite there being a record number of 35 candidates contesting the upcoming presidential election, complaints received have only been about three candidates from three major political parties. “Complaints have been only about the SLPP, UNP, and Janatha Vimukthi Permauna (JVP),” he said. Pointing out several shortcomings during this election period, Makeen said that it was high time that election laws were amended. He added that campaign expenditure has been the highest on record. “There are high expenses for campaign activities this time due to the large number of candidates contesting.” He further said that most of the alternative candidates were actually in the limelight to garner support for one of the candidates of the mainstream political parties. “Many of these candidates are contesting to support one of the major candidates. They will campaign till the last minute when they will withdraw and pledge their support to one of the main candidates,” he said. Furthermore, the CaFFE Executive Director said that some of the alternative candidates were contesting to facilitate their foreign visa and permanent residency. “After the election, these alternative candidates will seek visas in well-developed countries. They will say that they were presidential candidates and claim that they had been intimidated or threatened and ask for permanent residency in foreign lands.” He said that one amendment should be of the cash deposit required to contest the election. “Rs. 50,000 and Rs. 75,000 are small sums and anyone can contest. These amounts must be increased. This year, we learnt that over 1,000 people had tried to become presidential candidates,” Makeen said. – Skandha Gunasekara