CGE Ratnayake: Public can review presidential candidates expense reports from 23 Oct.

By Rathindra Kuruwita

Members of the general public will soon be able to review the expense reports of presidential candidates, once they are published by the Election Commission on 23 October. They will have an 11-day window to scrutinise the reports and lodge complaints with the police, if any discrepancies are found, according to Commissioner General of Elections, Saman Sri Ratnayake, speaking to The Island on Friday (18),

Ratnayake said that the Election Commission does not have the authority to take legal action, such as filing a B report, and is reliant on the police for enforcement.

He said that 37 out of 38 presidential candidates have submitted their expense reports in compliance with campaign finance laws. “The candidate who has not yet submitted the report, we will need to decide on further action, which will involve filing a complaint with the police and pursuing legal measures through them,” he added.

Ratnayake said that candidates who fail to submit their reports or attempt to mislead the Commission in their filings could face fines or imprisonment. Additionally, a candidate may lose their civic rights for a period of three years.

Furthermore, he said that 8,821 candidates are contesting the General Election on 14 November, and all are required to submit their expense reports within 21 days after the election.

A government gazette announcing the spending limits for candidates and political parties contesting the General Election on 14 November has also been released. Ratnayake mentioned that over 70 nomination lists were rejected this time. He pointed out that political parties, or independent groups, are only required to meet seven basic criteria. “If you cannot adhere to seven simple criteria, how can you expect to govern a country?” he said.

Ratnayake also stated that the nomination lists of most established political parties are rarely rejected. Of the 316 independent groups that submitted nominations, 34 were rejected. He explained that many of these groups comprise individuals who were denied candidacy by recognised political parties and, in a rush to submit nominations at the last moment, made avoidable mistakes.

The Elections Commission provided a seven-day period for submitting nominations, but many parties, and independent groups, waited until the final moments, leading to such errors, Ratnayake said.