Sri Lanka: Polls Chief under fire

Editorial, The Island

The UNP has trained its propaganda cannon on the Elections Department. With weeks to go for the Uva PC polls, it has declared that it has no confidence in Election Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya. The Opposition does not expect the upcoming elections to be free and fair, it has said. Politicians’ claims are not to be taken as gospel. They are adept at making mountains out of molehills and molehills out of mountains depending on their political needs.But, the UNP’s concerns about the gross abuse of state resources by the government for electioneering purposes and other election malpractices need to be appreciated. For, such offences give the ruling coalition unfair advantage and prevent the Opposition from improving its competitive edge.

US axes Lankan voter education funding amid controversy

Dharisha Bastians

◾US aid agency tells prospective applicants federal grant opportunity has been ‘deleted’ ◾Gota vows to investigate those receiving funds for USAID project ◾Cabinet wants US Envoy summoned says Keheliya ◾No official summons but Minister met Ambassador Sison over issue: MEA sources

The USAID has cancelled funding for a voter education program after the Sri Lankan Government raised objections and the island’s top defence official vowed to investigate organizations receiving grants to implement the project.

US funds projects to undermine the government says Defence Secretary Gotabhaya

Ahead of Presidential polls:  Govt. troubled by US-funded project

The government would investigate local NGOs involved in an unprecedented US project meant to influence the electorate ahead of national level elections next year, a senior government spokesman said yesterday.

Difference Between Modi Wave and Anti-Modi Sentiment is About 100 Seats

 Prabhu Chawla

The Indian meteorological department is a whimsical prognosticator, failing to predict the weather—including storms—quite often. Fierce arguments break out over its efficacy, but with fewer loyalists than cynics. A similar battle is on over political forecasting, with fewer takers for contrarians. Fair weather birds have started migrating to safer climes, so that they can be sighted and counted, while prancing and preening in the changed weather. From boardrooms to newsrooms, Gujarat CM Narendra Modi is seen as manna from heaven; one who can redeem India’s miserable millions, including the richie rich, from despair. The media has already crowned Modi India’s next PM.

Free And Fair Election in Sri Lanka: An Independent Election Commission a must

Can the Elections Commissioner be blamed?   Daily Mirror opinion

The elections to the Southern and Western Provincial Councils have just been concluded. People were able to witness some violence although no major incidents were reported. As in many other elections in the recent past, the candidates carried out their elections campaigns insulting the intellect of the general public while breaking most of the rules imposed by the Elections Commissioner.

Sri Lanka: Has Rajapakse taken a tumble?

President Rajapaksha at CHOGM ( AFP)

Dr Kumar David

This article is an assessment of the impact of elections in two provinces on 29 March, two days after the government’s defeat at the UNHRC in Geneva.

President Mahinda Rajapakse’s United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) won both the Western Provincial Council (WPC) and the Southern Provincial Council (SPC) by what would normally seem comfortable margins, securing 53% and 58%, respectively, of the popular vote. At first glance it may look alright, but it’s the trend not the final numbers that matter. In 2009 these numbers were 65% and 68%.

Election Victory Mandate against UNHRC Resolution: Rajapaksa

PTI - Colombo

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has described his party's victory in the provincial polls as a mandate against the UN rights resolution on his country."People have given a clear message that no international interference would be tolerated," Rajapaksa said in a statement. His ruling UPFA coalition retained the control of both western and southern provincial councils with reduced majorities.

There is no patriotic-wave lifting the Rajapaksa boat. There is no anti-government wave either.

Ballot boxes for PC elections ( The Hindu)

''If the Opposition is to amount a serious challenge to the Rajapaksas at national elections, it must become more active, more rooted, socio-economically and less fractious. The UNP remains the single largest opposition party (though with a much reduced vote-base); the JVP and DP are in a dead-heat for third place. What is necessary is the broadest possible opposition coalition, which includes the TNA and other minority parties, stands up for all victims of Rajapaksa misrule and opts to focus on political-social-economic distress rather than on patriotic chest-thumping.  ''

Two Verdicts on Rajapaksa Rule  by Tisaranee Gunasekara

Sri Lanka: Leader of the oppostion Ranil writes to EC on blatant violations of election law

EC needs to take action - Ranil W

Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, in a letter to elections commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya today (19), lodged a strong protest against the blatant violation of election law by all sections of the state media and some private institutions. Pointing out that the law regarding election campaigning is very clear, the opposition leader said it is the duty of the Commissioner of Elections to control all matters in respect of elections including election campaigns. “Coverage by the Radio or Television of speeches and views expressed by the President and Prime Minister or Ministers should be treated as a coverage given for the political party to which he belongs and therefore leaders of rival political parties contesting elections should be given similar programmes.

Sri Lanka: Polls Chief powerless to prosecute violaters

EC Deshapriya: Powerless

Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya said he had only a fraction of the powers that had been afforded to India's Elections Commissioner. He said he had no power, even after the conclusion of the Provincial Council polls, to take legal action against any candidate who violates election laws. Deshapriya however said the Elections Department had an extensive archive of photographic and video footage evidence, which they had received and amassed, that would aid in filing cases against errant politicos, when the correct time came.

The charges against Provincial Council candidates include the illegal, unauthorized display of cut-outs, banners and preferential numbers.

Sri Lanka: Elections monitoring bodies fault President

Calling it an act unbefitting of a national and political leader, elections observers and monitoring bodies, People's Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL), Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) and Intellectuals for Human Rights Network for Election Monitoring (IHR NEM), have all condemned President Mahinda Rajapaksa's involvement in the 'live' Janapathi Jana Hamuwa programme held last week.

Initiate action against Secretary to MoD and UD for participating in election campaigns

''The Secretary to the MoD and UD not being a permanent employee from public service, we are aware his case can not be dealt with, as in the case of any other such public officer. Yet your responsibility demands you to raise the issue and request the appointing authority to take appropriate action according to the Establishment Code and relevant Public Administration Circulars. As far as our interpretation of the said rules and regulations are concerned, he has to be removed from service if proven guilty and his pension, eligible after 05 years of continuous service, has to be withdrawn.  ''

Defence secratary Rajapaksha violate election laws

Despite the senior administrative officials of the state being banned from participating in political events in public , the Secretary of Urban Development and Defence Ministry , Gotabaya Rajapaksa has violated the particular law by participating in the inaugural ceremony  of  United People’s Freedom Allaince Colombo district leader Udaya Gammanpila's re-election campaign.

Sri Lanka: PPPR Recommends an Election Judge Should be Appointed to Investigate into Election Malpractices

Transparency International Sri Lanka’s Election Monitoring arm, ‘The Programme for Protection of Public Resources (PPPR)’ has recommended that an Election Judge should be appointed to investigate into election violations and malpractices with special focus on the misuse of public resources. As for offences against public property, presently only the Attorney General can go to courts on the misuse of public resources. This should be revised to entertain private plaints.

CHOGM 2013: Sri Lanka’s Climate of Fear

Militarisation is visible

By THE EDITORIAL BOARD, New York Times /November 13, 2013

In August, the United Nations high commissioner for human rights, Navi Pillay, issued scathing observations on the state of human rights in Sri Lanka after her visit there. Ms. Pillay denounced, in particular, attacks on freedom of expression and a climate of fear that is undermining democracy and eroding the rule of law. She has set a deadline of March for the Sri Lankan government to undertake a credible inquiry into reported human rights violations. The government disputes her findings.

CHOGM 2013 / Sri Lanka: UNP communications head, Samaraweera chellengs Sharma, Sec Commonwealth , sets 3 proposals

Samaraweera and Sharma

''In fact, in your enthusiasm to go ahead with this unholy alliance, steps were taken to conceal the legal opinion sought by you regarding the scandalous impeachment of Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranaike, earlier this year. You invited two senior jurists to tell you whether removal of the chief justice was consistent with Commonwealth values and principles. Their responses were unequivocal.

"Instead of merely basing your assumptions on information provided by a few salaried members of the regime, you should at least now speak to members of the opposition and civil society as well as affected parties and ordinary citizens of this country to assess the prevailing situation,"

2013 Northern Provincial Council Elections did not fully meet key benchmarks for democratic elections.- Commonwealth mission

Voters in Jaffna ; Photo - The Republic Square

REPORT OF THE COMMONWEALTH OBSERVER MISSION; SRI LANKA’S NORTHERN PROVINCIAL COUNCIL ELECTIONS
21 SEPTEMBER 2013   

Conclusions and Recommendations

Conclusions

 The 21 September 2013 elections were landmark elections, the first Northern Provincial Council Elections held since the end of the civil conflict in May 2009, and since the Provincial Council system was established. We are conscious that the Northern Province is emerging from nearly three decades of civil conflict which claimed many thousands of lives and resulted in widespread damage to infrastructure, livelihoods and displacement of the population.

Defeat of all the JHU, JNP and MEP candidates in the UPFA list: A rejection of communalism by the majority Sinhala Buddhist community

Extremist    The Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) has welcomed the TNA’s readiness to work together with the government within the framework of the unitary state and the 13th Amendment of the present Constitution.

The Al Jazeera interview with Mahinda Rajapaksa: Calling the bluff

by Groundviews  09/29/2013

The President’s recent and wide-ranging interview on Al Jazeera is interesting on a number of counts (download the episode in HD here).

For starters, our President is clearly grossly uninformed or deliberately seeks to misinform. Take for example his assertion, around 8:50 into the interview, that European Union election monitors said the recently held Provincial Council elections in the North were free and fair. However, as far back as July this year, the EU categorically said they would not be sending any election monitors to Sri Lanka.

Beyond Sri Lankan provincial elections

Seema Sengupta
As a large majority of the sizable 715,000 eligible voters from Sri Lanka’s troubled north went into makeshift polling booths to cast their preferences for electing a 38 member provincial council on September 21, India’s influence was written all over.