Election Commission Issues Contradictory Statements
Election Commission Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya’s contradictory statements on holding the General Election, has given rise to a highly problematic situation, political analysts point out.
On Wednesday 20 May, Chairman Deshapriya informed the Supreme Court that it is not possible to hold the General Election on 20 June, given the prevailing health situation in the country.
Lawyer Saliya Peries PC, appearing for the Election Commission, submitted to Court that an election cannot be conducted until the Director General of Health Services and other health sector stakeholders give the green light.
Accordingly, Peries PC submitted that, given the current situation, the General Election cannot be held on 20 June.
Contradictorily, on 17 May, the Chairman of the Election Commission has sent a letter to the President’s Secretary and the Prime Minister’s Secretary, questioning the necessity of continuing to distribute the Rs 5000 allowance to the economically affected segments, claiming that the country has returned to normalcy following the successful controlling of the pandemic, and that people are now able to resume their economic activities. Therefore, suspicions have arisen whether the Election Commission has got embroiled in an external agenda.
Meanwhile, Romesh de Silva PC prayed the Court to deem the oral submissions made on behalf of the respondents, Election Commission Chairman and member Nalin Abeysekara, stating that the General Election cannot be held on 20 June, as being unfounded and baseless, and throw them out.
(Source: Ceylon Today)
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Looking at the importance, various kinds of elections (ie:- local, provincial, national & presidential,etc), no of elections & huge sums of money involved (in Billions) , it proves that the size, structure, appointments (members), and decision making of EC is not that satisfactory. Recent media reports suggest that EC finds it difficult to make firm decisions and more engaged with internal fighting ! This lacks crediblity. Certainly, it will create doubts among the innocent public, whether the supreme body of the so called appointing authority, the ‘Constitutional Council’ carried out it’s duty properly ? Time will tell us.