By Rathindra Kuruwita

More than 8,800 candidates were contesting this year’s general election, but fewer than 1,000 of them were actively campaigning, Rohana Hettiarachchi, Executive Director of the People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL), said yesterday.

“This low level of enthusiasm reflects the strain on political parties which have had to contest elections one after the other,” Hettiarachchi said, noting that voters themselves seemed less enthusiastic about the election. “There is significant disillusionment with traditional parties. Additionally, with campaign finance laws now in place, questionable individuals and entities are restricted from injecting money, leading many big spenders from previous elections to withdraw,” he said.

Although hundreds of political parties and independent groups were contesting and are allowed to establish around 600,000 campaign offices, only about 9,200 offices have been set up, Hettiarachchi added.

…assumes jurisdiction over case

By A. J. A. Abeynayake

The Supreme Court issued an order yesterday (07) directing the immediate transfer of a case regarding the possession of several unregistered elephants from the Colombo Additional Magistrate’s Court to its own jurisdiction.

The Supreme Court also instructed the Magistrate’s Court not to take any further steps concerning the case. Additionally, it issued a stay order on all directives given by the Magistrate’s Court regarding the case filed by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) until the conclusion of its examination of the related petitions.

This ruling was made by a Supreme Court bench, comprising Justice Preethi Padman Surasena and Justice Arjuna Obeysekere, in response to submissions by President’s Counsel Sanjeeva Jayawardena, who argued that the previous order issued by an Colombo Additional Magistrate’s Court, allowing the release of illegally held elephants back to the individuals in possession of them was unlawful.

The Centre for Environmental and Cultural Studies and several other parties had previously filed the case, which was called for hearing yesterday (07).

President’s Counsel Sanjeeva Jayawardena also brought to the notice of the Supreme Court that despite an order from the Court of Appeal preventing the release of elephants held by the Department of Wildlife in connection with this case, the Magistrate’s Court had recently issued an order releasing the elephants back to the individuals in possession of them.

By Rathindra Kuruwita

Senior officials at the Department of Immigration and Emigration, appointed during the Ranil Wickremesinghe administration, are misleading Minister Vijitha Herath regarding issues surrounding passport issuance, the Sri Lanka Immigration and Emigration Officers’ Association (SLIEOA) has said.

The SLIEOA has in a media statement, highlighted that despite the department having access to the necessary data to streamline immigration processes, a lack of foresight and inadequate planning have led to the current passport crisis.

The association pointed out that one of the main reasons for the crisis is a shortage of blank passports due to the department’s failure to accurately forecast demand. Furthermore, attempts to introduce online systems for applications and procurement were unsuccessful, as these initiatives were poorly planned and lacked proper testing.

SLIEOA also criticised the department’s decision-making approach, noting that a small group of officials, appointed for their loyalty to the Wickremesinghe administration, have made key decisions without consulting permanent staff. This includes implementing online systems without pilot projects or feasibility studies, failing to monitor or evaluate the outcomes of these projects, and following political instructions without logical assessment.

The association noted several underlying issues aggravating the situation, including a surge in demand for foreign travel permits post-pandemic, delays in procuring sufficient stock of travel permits, and the absence of a dedicated, high-standard printing facility for travel documents. Although the Court of Appeal authorised the acquisition of 750,000 blank permits in October, only a small portion of these had been delivered by late October, falling short of the necessary quantity.

The SLIEOA highlighted the lack of accurate information on available stock, which has caused public confusion and delays in processing applications. Additionally, an ineffective system for addressing public grievances has left applicants without a reliable channel for resolving their issues, leading to growing frustration.

Calling for improved planning and transparent decision-making, the SLIEOA emphasised the need for an efficient complaint resolution system to restore public confidence in the passport issuance process. The association urged the department to re-evaluate its decision-making practices to address current issues and prevent future disruptions.