• Media reporting among issues raised A European Union (EU) delegation was in Sri Lanka last week to assess the pre-polls climate and decide if an EU elections observer team must be sent to Sri Lanka for the next presidential elections. The EU delegation had several meetings while in Sri Lanka, including with the Election Commission, Government, Opposition, civil society and the media, The Sunday Morning learnt. Sources said that among the concerns raised during some of the meetings was the possibility of journalists being intimidated ahead of the elections. The Election Commission (EC) said that it would decide if to invite foreign election monitoring groups to observe the upcoming presidential election after the relevant gazette is issued by the Government. Director General of Elections Saman Rathnayake told The Sunday Morning that when deciding, the Commission would consider the election monitoring experience of foreign observers as well as the strength and purpose of monitoring elections in Sri Lanka. “We had a discussion with the EU Group last week and we informed them that the Commission will only consider inviting them after the gazette is issued and considering the necessity of foreign observers,” Rathnayake said, adding that it was not mandatory to invite foreign observers. “The Commission has experience with some groups that did not even coordinate with the Commission after they concluded their monitoring process. They haven’t consulted the Commission or briefed the issues of the election monitoring process. Instead, they have published their reports,” Rathnayake said. He also noted that even though there was no decision yet, the Commission was in the process of forming the necessary conditions for foreign election monitoring groups to be invited to Sri Lanka. “There are 14,000 polling stations around the country and at least one representative from each election monitoring group should be stationed at each station. The Commission doesn’t think that foreign monitoring groups have the strength to monitor election processes in Sri Lanka,” he stressed. “At previous elections, we noticed that these groups hired people who did not have voting rights and those who were under the age of 18, on the basis of Rs. 1,000 a day,” the DG said. Asked about the involvement of local observers, Rathnayake said the Commission had already held discussions with two local election monitoring groups, the People’s Actions for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFERAL) and Centre for Monitoring Election Violation (CMEV). – Maheesha Mudugamuwa