Commissioner General of Elections Saman Sri Rathnayake says that the Election Commission has received 5214 complaints from 31st July 2024 to 19th September 2024 with regard to the 2024  Presidential Election. Of these, 4680 have been inquired into.

The number of complaints received during the 24 hours ending at  44.30pm on 19th September 2024 is 269 of which 267 are in respect to violation of election laws.

Chairman of the Election Commission R M A T Rathnayake has announced that taking photographs,  filming polling related activities, and uploading them on social media platforms constitute as violations of election laws and requests all social media account holders and administrators to refrain from doing so.

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By A.A. Pemasiri

Nine government officers who promoted presidential candidates in violation of the Establishment Code have been removed from election duties, according to Hambantota District Returning Officer, H.P. Sumanasiri. Contacted for comment, he said they were part of a group of 19 officers currently under investigation for the same offence.

Among the errant officials were three doctors, one public health inspector, nine principals, a vice principal, four teachers, and a manager of a Samurdhi Bank, Sumanasiri said.

Sumanasiri said the Public Administration Circular 32/2017 classified Staff Grade Officers and Non-Staff Grade Officers in the Public Service and Provincial Public Service. That circular and the Establishment Code made it clear that such officials could not exercise political rights other than voting, and specified the procedures to be followed in dealing with errant officials, he said.

“Subsection 1:2 of Chapter XXXII of the Establishment Code states that ‘an officer not entitled to the exercise of political rights is prohibited, under threat of dismissal, from engaging in any form of political activity except casting his vote in a Presidential Election, Parliamentary Election, Referendum, Provincial Council Election, or Local Authorities Election,” Sumanasiri said.

The Establishment Code further specified that the aforementioned officers could participate in any election, Sumanasiri added.