No posters, cut-outs after April 5

by Ranil Wijayapala

Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake has instructed the Inspector General of Police Mahinda Balasuriya to remove all election related banners, cut-outs, flags and hoardings by April 1 and all posters by April 5 irrespective of where they are pasted.

A spokesman for the Elections Department told the Sunday Observer that the Elections Commissioner had conveyed this decision to the IGP on Friday when he met all party secretaries contesting the forthcoming election.

Consultant to the Elections Department Bandula Kulatunga told the Sunday Observer that the IGP who was present at the meeting endorsed the decision taken by the Commissioner.

The Commissioner has directed the police to remove all hoardings, cut-outs, banners and posters which are displayed outside political party offices.

“They can have them inside the party office but not outside”, he said.

He said that instructions have also been given to remove all political offices in Government buildings, lands and even in the official residences of Ministers and MPs. “Politicians cannot have their political offices in Government buildings and lands”, he said. The Elections Commissioner also conveyed to the political party representatives that the People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) and the Centre for Monitoring Elections Violence (CMEV) could have their observers at the centre for the declaration of results of each District Returning office. The two organisations can also send two observers to the Elections Department.

“The Commissioner has also decided to allow the candidates of political parties which secure even one seat at district level to be present at the Centre for the Declaration of Results”, Kulatunga said.

“Earlier, only two people were allowed to be present at the Centre for the Declaration of Results”, he added.

Considering the inconveniences faced by estate workers, the Elections Commissioner has also decided to request all Estate Superintendents to provide leave for estate workers in the morning to cast their vote on April 8 instead of giving them leave in the afternoon.