TISL reveals malpractices in Northern Provincial election

Wednesday, 11 September 2013 01:38 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Instances of gross violation of rules by public officials relating to the use of the public property during the upcoming provincial election in the Northern Province have been reported to the Elections Commissioner by Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) with documentary proof including photographs in the possession of the Programme to Protect Public Resources (PPPR). These include an incident of the Governor of the Northern Province Major General G.A. Chandrasiri taking part in election propaganda work and more than 500 Government officials being used for election propaganda, TISL said in a statement

The Governor of the Northern Province had addressed an election meeting in support of the UPFA candidate held at a community hall in Puttur in the Kopay electoral district on 7 September 2013. On 6 September, a meeting of Government trade union representatives had been held at the Cultural Centre belonging to the Vavuniya Urban Council where five UPFA candidates had addressed Samurdhi officers and staff members of the Road Development Authority, Irrigation Department, SLTB and Sri Lanka Petroleum Corporation. They had been granted official leave to participate in the meeting where nearly 500 had participated. The Samurdhi Officer of North Mamadu Grama Niladhari Division in Vavuniya had held an election meeting on 8 September at the Senathilavu preschool. He had held a meeting at the same venue on 3 September as well. The Elections Commissioner has been informed that clause 5 (ii) of his circular PCE/2013-06 issued on 13 July has been violated by providing 409 public officials with distress loans amounting to a sum of Rs. 47 million. The NP Governor had participated at this event along with other public officials. Twenty officials belonging to the Economic Development Ministry office in the Kilinochchi District Secretariat had come in two official vehicles for election work supporting the UPFA candidate Vijaya Krishna. The vehicle numbers are PB 9571 and GO 4760. The CWE building at Kilinochchi is being used to display posters and election advertisements. The UPFA candidates contesting the Kilinochchi District are featured in a huge pandal erected across the main highway at Kilinochchi town. A UPFA candidate is displaying his banners at the Mutuvinayagar community library on the Nallur road.