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Local monitors say local government elections were free and fair
View(s):By Ishu Bandara
Local observation organisations monitoring the local government elections, which concluded on May 6, said it was a free and fair election, similar to the previous two elections held late last year, but was not without election law violations.
The Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) reported that this election was more problematic than the previous two, while the People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) stated it was conducted in line with past elections and without major violations.
The Institute for Democratic Reforms and Electoral Studies (IRES) noted that no serious incidents occurred that could have affected the outcome of 75,589 candidates, but the Election Commission should address certain areas to ensure more efficient elections in the future.
By May 4, the Election Commission of Sri Lanka had received 4,339 complaints. The highest number of complaints was recorded on May 3, showing a rise in violations during the last 10 days of the campaign. Police reported that 55 candidates and 208 supporters were arrested for 604 election related offences.
“There were significant incidents of people gathering outside polling centres, voters being bribed with alcohol the night before, and the organised transportation of voters especially in plantation areas,” Professor Arjuna Parakrama of the Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) told the Sunday Times. “It appears we are sliding back into the old system, where elections are contested through highly illegal means.”
Professor Parakrama added that the Election Commission failed to uphold its commitment to avoid using problematic polling centres, such as places of religious worship, which created difficulties for elderly and disabled voters.
He emphasised the need to identify more accessible polling centres, as previously promised, and criticized the lack of a systematic approach. He noted that the Commission continues to rely on the same set of polling centres used in previous years, a factor that also contributed to lower voter turnout.
IRES Executive Director Manjula Gajanayake told Times Online that the Election Commission and political parties responsible for delaying the 2018 local government elections should be held accountable for the low voter turnout.
“People grew frustrated with the repeated delays of the election, leading to voter apathy and low voter turnout. The Election Commission had the opportunity to conduct the election after the new act was passed in Parliament, but they failed to do so,” he said.
“The key solution is to grant more powers to the ECSL, allowing them to conduct timely elections. Maybe strengthening their legal unit and providing financial independence could address these issues. Additionally, one of the most valuable lessons from overseas is how to initiate a proper plan to introduce advance voting.”
Both the CMEV and the IRES emphasised that the government should make arrangements to transport elderly and disabled voters to polling centres, or else establish a systematic approach for doing so, as this would help increase voter turnout, one of the most prominent issues in both this and previous elections.
PAFFREL Executive Director Rohana Hettiarachchi told Times Online that they have been closely monitoring the Election Commission’s processes for a long time and have a positive view of its progress. He said the Commission has made significant improvements in conducting elections compared to previous years.
He added that some areas have had more time to be integrated into the system, and they believe the Election Commission is on track to implement many progressive changes to Sri Lanka’s election system.
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