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.

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.