Free and fair election

The proposed 20th amendment will be the death of free and fair elections in Sri Lanka. The study of political communications and digital propaganda for over a decade leaves no room for doubt on what will follow if (when?) the 20th Amendment, in its current form, is passed in Parliament. Worse, if the proposed amendment is a […]

The proposed 20th Amendment to the Constitution makes several significant changes to the present Constitution, altering the dynamics of the separation of powers between the various organs of government, with the balance of power tipping in favour of the executive President. The amendment also makes major changes to the law-making process, which could result in […]

Universal suffrage is a democratic right that we must all respect and uphold. Therefore, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all Sri Lankan voters who exercised their voting right in this election. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the inaugural session of 9th parliament of Sri Lanka. Now that the euphoria over the victories […]

12 August 2020 ( PDF document is attached at the end) 1. Elections for Sri Lanka’s 9th Parliament were held on 5 August 2020 and the first sitting day of the 9th parliament is 20th August 2020. From 22 electoral districts, 196 members were elected and 29 members are being appointed from the National list. […]

This report provides an account of the incidence of hate speech and divisive language observed by the Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) in the campaign for the Parliamentary General Election 2020. It details notable incidents of hate speech and divisive language, and trends in them throughout the campaign period. It also highlights a public […]

Image: Using the indicator explained in the report, the above COVID-19 Risk Map in election campaigns has been developed.  Based on the information received by CMEV from field observers as of July 16, 2020, a number of indicators were used to measure party and candidate compliance with the COVID-19 election guidelines. According to these observations, […]

Image: President Rajapaksa campaigning today (19) and no social distancing or face masks among the participants. The Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV)  says that it “is alarmed by these changes given that the COVID-19 pandemic situation in the country appears to be worsening. Relaxing physical campaigning restrictions is likely to expose more voters to […]

It is a modern morality tale about the dangers of misusing the military, of militarising civilian tasks, of expecting generals to handle pandemics. By 9th May, Sri Lanka had 847 officially acknowledged Covid-19 cases. Of these more than half were military personnel. The number of infected naval personnel alone tops 400. When Covid-19 pandemic gripped the […]

The Coronavirus pandemic hit countries like the USA, India and Bangladesh in a situation where their economies had been experiencing strong growth for years. In contrast, Sri Lanka has had to face this crisis in a state of economic ruin. During the five years of yahapalana misrule from 2015 to 2019, our debt burden increased […]

In a letter addressed to the Chairman of the Election Commission Mahinda Deshapriya , former Colombo District MP and Leader of the Democratic Peoples Front/Tamil Progressive Alliance Mano Ganesan says that “any constitutional crisis on the subjects of reconvening the dissolved 8th parliament and convening the new 9th parliament shall be addressed by the constitution […]

Image courtesy of Al Jazeera/[Eranga Jayawardena/AP] Sri Lanka is facing an unprecedented crisis due to the COVID-19 virus. The government has taken firm and decisive actions on an emergency basis. These include the imposition of a 24 hour curfew that is now entering its fourth week in some areas continuously.  The National Peace Council expresses […]

Parliamentary Election 2020 and date of summoning new Parliament. I refer to the Daily Mirror article, of today’s date, on the date for summoning the new Parliament after elections, and The Island’s two pieces yesterday on the same topic. I am in “Lockdown” in Jaffna and write on my own as a Member of the Election Commission in […]

(chamindasworld.wordpress) Prof Ashu Marasinghe has said that Chaminda’s [meaning Wasantha Deshapriya] and Sanjiva Weerawarana’s appointments to the Board of ICTA are dubious and there are conflicts of interest as we were involved in developing the Digital solution for the Election Commission (EC). What is he trying to say? a) Is that we developed a system which […]

Image: European Union (EU) election observers look on as election officials carry ballot boxes to be transferred to a main counting centre after the presidential election voting centres closed, in Colombo (AFP) Sri Lanka’s eighth presidential election, with a record number of 35 candidates vying for the highest office of the state, concluded on Sunday. While […]

The Parliament of Sri Lanka has 225 member seats. The 22 electoral districts elect 196 seats. Each party receives seats in proportion to the votes it received in that district. The remaining 29 seats are the “national list”. Each party receives national list seats, in proportion to the votes it receives islandwide. At first glance, […]

Asian Election observers faulted both private and State Media organisations for favouring their chosen candidates during the elections and suggested they should self-regulate themselves. The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL), an international election observation organization based in Asia, observed that while the presidential election ended in a largely peaceful and orderly manner, it witnessed […]

Sri Lanka goes to the polls on Saturday to choose its next president, with the winner expected to steer the ship of state for at least the next five years. The winning candidate in this strategically located South Asian nation can be an indicator of the outcome in parliamentary elections that follow early next year, […]

The Presidential election to elect the 7th Executive President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is to be held on the 16th of November 2019. The deadline for candidates and political parties to campaign for the Presidential Election, including electronic and print media, ends at midnight today. However, all the candidates that are contesting […]

Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Parliamentarian M.A Sumanthiran has sought a criminal investigation against fake news published in three local newspapers. In a letter to the Acting Inspector General of Police, Sumanthiran says three articles published in three local newspapers had falsely reported that he called on the Tamils to vote for New Democratic Front Presidential […]

‌“We see only Muslim villages have been developed. but not the Tamil villages. The only way for Catholic and Hindu villages to get developed is to vote for Gota.” Namal Rajapaksa in Mannar. “We have to act against Muslims. We Tamil youth have to think and act.” – leaflet by Kiran youth front for SLPP. […]

7 November 2019, Colombo, Sri Lanka: The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) is releasing a letter sent to Mr Senura Abeywardene, the Country Representative for Sri Lanka at Facebook, on 30 September 2019, with specific asks around ads oversight in relation to the 2019 Presidential Election. Download the letter as a PDF here. It is also reproduced […]

Former MP Sajin Vaas Gunawardena today said he had lodged a police complaint saying that Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa had told another SLPP MP that Sajin and his family will be killed if he continued to support the New Democratic Front (NDF) presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa in the presidential election. Speaking at a media briefing, […]

Image: EC Mahinda Deshapriya. Sri Lanka’s election commission chief on Sunday backed down from plans to censor a state-owned TV station following criticism that his actions were supporting the main opposition candidate at this month’s presidential polls. In a surprise move, commission chairman Mahinda Deshapriya had banned any political programing on the Independent Television Network […]

Election Commission Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya yesterday banned state-owned ITN from telecasting any politically-oriented program after accusing it of broadcasting an interview which he said was unfavourable to opposition candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The sweeping censorship of the state television broadcaster also caused a rift within the independent commission. One of the three members said there had […]

Image: Sri Lanka Muslims have been a target of politically motivated  attacks against in recent times. In this presidential election in which the main contenders are engaged in a lethal contest for the will and soul of the majority, minorities are practically powerless nonparticipants asking themselves – who are we? Whither are we drifting? Irrespective […]

Basic Info: Eight Presidential Election of Sri Lanka will be held on 16th November 2019. Thirty-Five candidates have handed over their nominations. The Ballot paper will be 66 cm long while 15,992,096 voters are eligible to vote. More than 1M Sri Lankan migrant workers and around 20,000 suspects in remand prisons are not eligible to […]

Image: Tamil people wait to vote as police officers stand guard at a polling station during the northern provincial council election on Sept. 21, 2013 in Jaffna, Sri Lanka.Buddhika Weerasinghe/Getty Images. TNA  Member of Parliament M. A. Sumanthiran is to move   adjournment Motion in Parliament on the 6th of July which says that ” if it is not possible […]

Image: The burden of elections; A government servant carries a ballot box! ( Daily FT photo) The political turmoil and the prolonged period of uncertainty in Sri Lanka that followed the February 10 local government elections appear to have subsided, but the urgent measures needed to address its causes are yet to be taken. If […]

The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, recognizing the right of every citizen to vote, to freely engage in political activities and the right to free and fair elections under the Constitution of Sri Lanka (1978) and international human rights norms, adopted the following guidelines to be observed by all Police Officers during the run-up […]

Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka Secretary to HE President, Secretary to Hon. Prime Minister, All Secretaries to Ministries, All Chief Secretaries to Provincial Councils, Directives pertaining to activities of public officers and officers of the Provincial Public Service in connection with the Local Authority Election 2018: According to Article 17O of the Constitution of Sri […]