News
C’wealth group commends August polls; says RTI priority for transparency
View(s):The Commonwealth Observer Group (COG) in its final report on the last Parliamentary Elections, urged the Government to introduce new procedures on the administration of elections, including mixing postal ballots with ordinary ballots at the start of the count, in order to protect the secrecy of all votes cast.
The COG which was here on an invitation from the Elections Commissioner, made several recommendations based on its findings, varying from legal framework, campaign finance to administration of elections.
It was led by President Emeritus of Malta, Dr George Abela, and comprised eight eminent persons from around the Commonwealth.
Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma made the observers’ findings public after they were sent to the Government, Elections Commissioner and political parties following the elections.
While appreciating that the last August polls fulfilled the key benchmarks for a democratic election and that, the electoral process was on the whole transparent, peaceful and credible, the Group urged the Government and recommend that a Right to Information Act (RTI) can enhance the transparency of the electoral process, and hence, be given priority.
COG Chairman, former President of Malta, Dr George Abela commended the Elections Commissioner and his Office for “having maintained high standards of fairness”, and the country’s police for enforcing the law and ensuring a peaceful election.
Among the recommendations offered by the COG is a call for measures that make it easier for women to enter politics at the national level. “A must need is to prioritise the issue of women’s participation in politics. Incorporating mandatory quotas for women candidates on party nomination lists or in National lists is one way to ensure that women’s representation in Parliament is increased.”
Nine women were elected to Parliament, with one nominated on the National list, meaning women make up only 5% of the total seats in Parliament.
The Group also concluded that Government should reconsider restrictions on campaigning methods, as well as consider legislation on campaign finance.
“There is no law in Sri Lanka on campaign spending, donations or campaign financing. The lack of spending limits or requirements for transparency of funding sources encourages the spending of huge sums of money on election campaigns.
This also disadvantages candidates who do not have access to large amounts of funds and, as a result, skews the playing field on which campaign candidates compete.” the Group noted.
The Group also identified the need to revise election laws with regard to campaigning methods available to election candidates.
“Currently the restrictions in place do not allow for a vibrant campaign, disadvantage candidates who do not have access to substantial funds and make some violations of election law inevitable.”
The COG also noted that less than 200 incidents of election-related violence were reported during the campaign period, including three deaths, grievous assaults, attacks on political party and candidate offices, and abductions, “The leadership of all political parties should adopt a zero-tolerance policy towards election violence, and should promote this vigorously among the rank and file of their parties,” the Group urged.
More than 6,000 candidates from 21 political parties and 200 independent groups contested the August election, which saw 225 members of Parliament elected.