The Election Commission (EC) stated that legal action will be taken against Presidential candidates who did not submit their campaign expenditure reports within the specified period.

On Monday (14), the EC stated that three Presidential candidates – Ven. Battaramulle Seelarathana Thera, Sarath Keethirathna and Pakkiyaselvam Ariyanethiran – had failed to make the relevant submissions by the deadline which ended at 12 midnight on 13 October.

The Daily Morning queried EC Chairperson R.M.A.L. Rathnayake as to whether legal action would be continued against them, given that the three candidates in question had submitted their reports by Monday. In response, he said that despite the submissions, they would still be regarded as late. "All three submissions are regarded as delayed, and therefore, legal action will be taken against them as per the relevant legal provisions."

Seelarathana Thera told The Daily Morning on Tuesday (15) that he had sent the reports to the EC via post, but that the delivery had been delayed. Similarly, Keerthirathna said that he posted his reports on 12 October, but that they had not arrived at the EC by the deadline. Ariyanethiran also said that he had submitted his expenditure reports to the EC in person on Monday.

Under the Regulation of Election Expenditure Act No. 3 of 2023, all Presidential candidates were supposed to submit reports detailing their campaign expenditures, including the sources of funds, to the EC by 12 midnight on 13 October.