• But claims hamstrung to act as Ranil not officially a ‘nominated’ candidate, urges self-reflection/restraint   

The Election Commission (EC) stated that while President and independent presidential candidate Ranil Wickremesinghe's alleged use of the Presidential Secretariat and the Presidential Media Division (PMD) for his Election campaign activities violates the relevant electoral rules and regulations, it is challenging to take action until he officially becomes a candidate with nomination granted.

New Independent Front Leader and presidential candidate Oshala Herath, on Wednesday (31 July), urged the EC to take action against the alleged misuse of public property by Wickremesinghe, including the Presidential Secretariat and the PMD for his (Wickremesinghe) Election campaign activities. Charging that Wickremesinghe's actions such as using public resources caused great injustice to presidential candidates who are complying with the relevant regulations, and are not capable of spending large sums of money for their Election campaigns, Herath said that he wrote to the EC seeking their immediate attention and appropriate action with regard to the matter.

When contacted by The Daily Morning yesterday (1 August), EC Chairperson, R.M.A.L. Rathnayake said that despite Wickremesinghe being a Presidential candidate, he cannot be stopped from utilising the Presidential Secretariat and the PMD as he is still the President. "We can ask him to stop attending opening ceremonies and other events, but we can't ask him not to use the Presidential Secretariat and the PMD. Parliamentarians and Ministers are free to go there and we can't stop it." 

In response to a query as to whether it is not wrong for him (Wickremesinghe) to utilise such resources for Election campaign activities, Rathnayake said: "There is an issue in that case. It's wrong. But, we can't take action until he becomes a candidate officially. Just because one deposits bail money, it doesn't mean that they'll be granted nomination. So, we can take action only when he is granted nomination. Until then, they themselves should have some thought and stop such activities."