Balanced media coverage prerequisite for free and fair elections – Dinesh

Leader of the House, Education Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, who is also the Chairman of the Parliament Select Committee for electoral reforms, has pointed out to the committee that there are many concerns raised by people and political parties on issues pertaining to unfair media coverage during the times of elections.

The ministers has said so while attending a recent meeting of the PSC to Identify Appropriate Reforms of the Election Laws and the Electoral System and to Recommend Necessary Amendments.

During the election period, the electronic media charged very high prices for election advertisements, Minister Gunawardena pointed out, saying that it was a serious injustice to certain political parties and politicians.

Several heads at both state and private television channels testified before the committee on the day and expressed their concerns about the matter of election reporting.

They pledged to work towards providing equal air time to all candidates during the election period.

Addressing the meeting, Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said the Attorney General’s Department should be consulted with regard to the practical implementation of the media guidelines issued by the Election Commission.

Representatives of the Election Commission stated at the Committee that the media guidelines issued by the Election Commission were applicable only to the state media.

It was discussed at the Committee meeting the importance of seeking information from the Ministry of Mass Media and Information regarding the implementation of the media criteria.

State Ministers Jeevan Thondaman, MPs Rauff Hakeem and Sagara Kariyawasam were present at the meeting.