News
Election law violation complaints gathering steam
By Rathindra Kuruwita
The Election Commission announced on Friday that it had received 158 complaints of election law violations, with 20 of these complaints filed within the 24 hours leading up to 9 am on Friday.
According to People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL), 99 percent of these complaints involve the misuse of state power and resources. Rohana Hettiarachchi, Executive Director of PAFFREL, revealed that the government was in the process of recruiting 150 labourers to Lanka Mineral Sands in Pulmoddai.
“We intervened, and the Election Commission halted the recruitment. However, 46 people had already been hired. These individuals were recruited after the election was declared, despite no vacancies being available,” Hettiarachchi said.
He also warned state officials that they could face severe legal consequences for their actions.
Election monitoring bodies are also closely scrutinising the use of the Waters Edge premises by President Ranil Wickremesinghe for election-related activities. Manjula Gajanayake, Executive Director of the Institute for Democratic Reforms and Electoral Studies (IRES) stated that a complaint has been lodged with the Election Commission, which has since taken a statement from the hotel’s manager.
“The manager informed the commission that the line minister paid for the president’s meetings held there. We have filed a Right to Information (RTI) application to determine whether public funds were used to cover these expenses. If it is found that public funds were indeed used, we will pursue legal action,” Gajanayake said.
The Election Commission is also investigating a complaint regarding the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) allegedly issuing licenses to open gas stations to government supporters.
Gajanayake noted, “Recently, several CPC gas stations have been transferred to individuals and companies, with some discrepancies noted. Some gas stations, previously operated by the CPC, were handed over to individuals free of charge. The president’s office is involved in this matter.”
The Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution forwarded by the Minister Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation to appoint R. A. Chandana Saman Ranaweera Arachchi a special grade officer of Sri Lanka Administrative Service (SLAS) as the Commissioner
General of Lands.
Approval was granted at the cabinet meeting held on 05-08-2024 to resettle the unauthorized residents in the railway reserve from the Maligawatte Loco junction to Padukka railway station under the Colombo Suburban Railway Project.
Accordingly, resettlements in 694 housing units which were purchased from housing complexes owned by the Urban Development Authority have already been completed and further, 144 housing units are due
to be received from the Urban development Authority. In addition, a housing complex consisting of 120 housing units is being constructed on land in Kottawa, Malapalla area which is owned by the Railway Department for the resettlement of unauthorized residents in Maharagama, Homagama, Padukka area where there are no housing
schemes of the Urban Development Authority, and the constructions of that housing scheme is being completed at present.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Transport, Highways, Port, and Civil Aviation to transfer the land located in Kottawa, Marapalla, belonging to the Sri Lanka Railway Department, and the housing complex within the said land to the National Housing Development Authority as a free grant in terms of the provisions of Section 6(1) of the Government Land Ordinance and to implement the said program of providing the relevant deeds to the selected beneficiaries in such a way as not to burden them financially.
The Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation to appoint Dr. Mrs. E. R. S. P. Edirimanne serving as a special grade officer in Sri Lanka Agriculture Service in the post of Additional Secretary (Agri Technology) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation as the Commissioner General of Agriculture,
R A Chandana Saman Ranaweera Arachchi appointed as Commissioner General of Lands
Resettlement of unauthorized residents in Kelaniveli Railway Reserves
Dr. Mrs. E. R. S. P. Edirimanne appointed Commissioner General of Agriculture
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