- Compliance with directives & guidelines urged
- AG’s views sought on ongoing legal proceedings on intra-SLFP crisis
The Election Commission (EC) called on all Presidential candidates and heads of public institutions to strictly adhere to the directives and guidelines issued by the EC regarding the use of public resources during the election period.
EC Chairperson R.M.A.L. Rathnayake made this appeal during a media briefing held yesterday (6) where he emphasised that the Secretaries and Assistant Secretaries to the Ministries, department heads, and heads of media institutions have already been informed about the necessary guidelines and directives. He stressed the importance of compliance to ensure a fair and transparent Election process.
In response to delays in postal services, Rathnayake announced that the deadline for receiving postal voting applications has been extended to 9 August. He urged citizens who wish to apply to hand over their applications directly to their respective EC regional offices instead of posting them.
“The EC will not extend the date further,” he stated, highlighting the importance of the timely submission as there are limited days for other related procedures.
Addressing potential issues arising from the increasing number of candidates, Rathnayake noted that the structure of the ballot paper and related costs can only be determined after receiving nominations. He clarified that the EC has no authority to impose restrictions on individuals wishing to stand as candidates. “The EC cannot impose restrictions on people who wish to declare their candidacy,” he stated, highlighting the inclusive nature of the Electoral process.
He also expressed the EC's views on the internal crisis within the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), revealing that the EC has sought the Attorney General's (AG) instructions regarding ongoing judicial matters. He assured that if any issues arise concerning a candidate, all factions will be summoned for negotiations to resolve the matter. However, he noted that this situation currently has no impact on the Election as no candidate has placed bonds from the SLFP.