No politician has attempted to influence me or my staff - Elections
Commissioner General
By Manjula Fernando
Excerpts of an interview with Elections Commissioner General, Mahinda
Deshapriya in view of the upcoming provincial council elections
including the Northern PC polls expected in September this year.
Q: There are three upcoming PC elections within this year, in
the Central, North Central and North Western Province, what are the
preparations?
A: The Electoral Register in Operation is for 2012. To prepare
for elections we require a period of two and a half months in advance.
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Mahinda Deshapriya |
Q: Will they be conducted under the new electoral system,
which is a combination of the first past the post and preferential
system as I understand?
A: The new electoral system is for Local Government Elections.
This is like the old PR system.
Q: Has there been new introductions, like the electronic
voting system, to be exercised during the polls and what are the
additional measures taken to prevent poll-related malpractices?
A: To introduce Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) the
Parliamentary Act has to be amended.
Hardly any poll-related malpractices has been reported since the
photo Identity of the elector has been made compulsory to prove his or
her identity. We deploy election staff from other areas to carry out the
work related to elections when staggered elections are held. In every
polling station, at least one official is deployed for verification of
the identity of the elector.
Other than that we deploy Special - AROs for field surveillance and
investigation.
Elections Complaints Centres are set up every Divisional Secretariat,
with a strengthened staff in threatened areas. We also coordinate with
political parties, secretaries of parties, elections observation groups
and the police.
Although this “modus operandi” is not a recent one we were successful
in the recently-held North Central Province, Sabaragamuwa and Eastern
Provincial Council Elections.
Q: When President Mahinda Rajapaksa met media heads on Monday
at Temple Trees, he said there is no need for an Independent Elections
Commission as you were independent and even he had no say with you
regarding election matters. Your comments?
A: No comments. As a public servant I cannot comment on what
the President had said. Secretaries of all political parties, their
members of the action committees and steering groups render their
support to carry out my work. No politician has attempted to influence
me or my staff. I am confident that I am independent.
Q: Is there a drastic change in the voters list in the
Northern province? The total number of registered voters, the number of
new voters, and how many political parties and independent groups
registered for the upcoming PC election?
A: Before 2010, during the time of unrest, the unrevised
electoral register had to be reprinted, from 2010, we were able to carry
out house to house enumeration except in certain areas where the land
was not cleared for civilian occupation, in areas like Mullikulam in
Mannar, around harbour at KKS as well as Palali air base in Jaffna,
Muhamalai and Elephant pass in Kilinochchi.
There have been certain differences in numbers due to internal and
external migration in areas such as Jaffna and the Vanni in 2010. Now of
course there is an influx of people in the area.
Q: Has the ITAK made any interactions with you to register
anew as TNA to contest the up coming election?
A: ITAK had submitted an application way back in 2010, it was
rejected due to some reasons by the former Commissioner of Elections.
Q: How many Sinhala groups or parties are registered in
Northern Province?
A: We have only recognised political parties.
Q: President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Monday’s meeting with the
media heads said the Northern Province election will be held in
September. Are you making any preparations for a September poll?
A: There is no need for special preparations for the Northern
Provincial Council elections.
Q: Are there any challenges to hold the Northern Province
election given that it is going to be held after so many years?
A: No. We conducted the Local Authorities Elections in 2011.
We do not anticipate much problems. If there are any, we can solve it
with the support of the government and police officials.
Q: Is there an on-going campaign to educate Northern voters on
the election? Do you expect a high voter turnout if the election is
held?
A: We of course have launched several programs on voter
education, revision of electoral register to have inclusive elections
for all, not confined to any particular area.
Q: What are the existing administrative impediments that
prevent the smooth functioning of your office?
A: The shortage of Tamil speaking staff officers to be
deployed in areas where Tamil is spoken, is the only impediment I
encounter.
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