The Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya has decided to appoint a permanent representative committee to make decisions on the activities of media during all elections to be held in the future.
Deputy Head of the Media Division of the Elections Department Channa De Silva said the committee will be comprised of the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission, Elections Department, Ministry of Media and Information and representatives from all active media institutions in Sri Lanka.
He further said it has been decided that this Committee should prepare guidelines which should be followed by media during elections and that these guidelines will be issued as a Gazette Notification.
He also said it was decided to establish a permanent media representatives committee because of the various complaints that were received regarding the misuse of media at the last Presidential Election. Expressing his views further to Ceylon Today, Silva said that,”This Committee will prepare guidelines which media should follow during elections. We have already informed heads of all media institutions in the country to make arrangements to send in their suggestions prior to 26 June.” He said further that all members of this Committee will be required to implement these media guidelines which the Committee will prepare.
By Niranjala Ariyawansha/ CT