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Even offering a cup of tea to a voter may land candidates in trouble at future elections – Manjula Gajanayaka
Text and pictures by PRIYAN DE SILVA
National coordinator for the Center for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) Manjula Gajanayake says even offering a cup of tea to a voter could land candidates in trouble at future elections. Gajanayake said so referring to the election petition 01/2018 filed in the Uva Provincial High Court by W M Sunil Shantha Wanasinghe and the land mark judgment delivered by the Additional High Court Judge Monaragala on 13 September 2021
The election petition was filed on an initiative taken by the Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) and the Peoples Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL). The National Coordinator of the CMEV Manjula Gajanayake and the Executive Director of PAFFREL Rohana Hettiarachchi were among the key witnesses for the petitioner S M Sunil Shantha Wanasinghe who contested the Maduruketiya ward of the Monaragala Pradeshiya Sabha on the UNP ticket at the Local Government poll held on 10th February 2018.
On the 22 of January 2018, the petitioner complained to the CMEV that D M Tharnga Harshaka Priya Prasad Dissanayaka contesting on the SLPP ticket for the Maduruketiya ward of the Monaragala PS was offering goods and services to voters as bribes during the election period in violation of the Local Government Ordinance.
After making impartial inquiries about the allegations through CMEV’s electorate based field observers, Gajanayake made a formal complaint to the Election Commission of Sri Lanka (ECSL) and thereafter together with PAFFREL, assisted Sunil Shantha to take forward the legal process.
Delivering judgment, the learned Additional High Court Judge R S A Dissanayaike held that the defendant has violated provisions of the Local Government Ordinance and therefore should be unseated.
Gajanayake said that usually all the election observation missions deployed around 15,000 observers at any election in Sri Lanka and for the 2018 LG election the CMEV and PAFFREL had deployed nearly 9,000 static observers and another 300 electorate-based field observers.
Gajanayake stressed that the CMEV and PAFFREL were not satisfied with the manner in which the post-election complaints were handled by both the ECSL and the Sri Lanka police as no action had been taken to inquire into even the 55 or so complaints the ECSL had forwarded to the Police.
“If the Election Commission and the Sri Lanka Police had d acted on the nearly 1000 election related complaints made by the CMEV and PAFFREL during the last parliamentary election, some present day Members of Parliament and even ministers would have been unseated. I hope that at least in the future, the ECSL will ensure that the Police take action ” Gajanayake said.
The Indian Naval Ship (INS) Sahyadri which arrived at the Port of Colombo on a formal visit on 04 Apr 25, departed the island today (07 Apr). The Sri Lanka Navy bade customary farewell to the departing ship at the Port of Colombo, following naval traditions.
During the ship’s stay in Colombo, crew members of INS Sahyadri took part in several programmes organized by the Sri Lanka Navy, aimed at enhancing mutual cooperation. In addition, they also explored some tourist attractions in the country. Further, personnel of Sri Lanka Navy had the opportunity to visit INS Sahyadri, gaining insights into her operational capabilities.
Latest News
Advisory for severe lightning issued for Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambanthota district
The Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre has issued an Advisory for Severe Lightning for the Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambanthota district.
The advisory issued at 02.00 p.m. today [07 April 2025] is valid for the period until 11.00 p.m. 07 April 2025
The public are warned that thundershowers accompanied by severe lightning are likely to occur at several places in for Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambantota district. There may be temporary localized strong winds during thundershowers. General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by lightning activity.
ACTION REQUIRED:
The Department of Meteorology advises that people should:
Seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees.
• Avoid open areas such as paddy fields, tea plantations and open water bodies during thunderstorms.
• Avoid using wired telephones and connected electric appliances during thunderstorms.
• Avoid using open vehicles, such as bicycles, tractors and boats etc.
• Beware of fallen trees and power lines.
• For emergency assistance contact the local disaster management authorities.
The report of the “Census of Population and Housing 2024,” conducted by the Department of Census and Statistics, was officially handed over to President Anura Kumara Disanayake this morning (07) at the Presidential Secretariat.
This preliminary report has been prepared based on island wide data collected between October and December 2024.
The report provides details on Sri Lanka’s population, its growth and the distribution of the population across districts.
The information gathered through the census is vital not only for the government but also for other institutions in formulating policies and development plans essential for the country’s progress. Significantly, for the first time in the history of census-collecting in Sri Lanka, data collection was carried out using tablet computers and user-friendly mobile devices.
The event was attended by Deputy Minister of Finance & Planning, Harshana Suriyapperuma, Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance Mahinda Siriwardana, Director General of the Department of Census and Statistics D.D.G.A. Senevirathne and several other officials.
INS Sahyadri sets sail from Colombo
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Advisory for severe lightning issued for Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambanthota district
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