None of the four leading presidential candidates—current President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Sajith Premadasa, and Namal Rajapaksa—had made their campaign expenditure declarations as of Friday, in keeping with the campaign finance laws.

The parties and candidates were due to submit election expenditure details relating to last month’s presidential election today. However, as of Friday, the Election Commission  noted that only 13 of the 38 candidates had filed their accounts under the Election Expenditure Act No. 3 of 2023. The EC on Friday listed out the names of these candidates.

The Election Expenditure Act holds that all parties and independent candidates must submit records of the donors to their campaign within 21 days of the election results being announced. In conjunction with this Act, which was implemented for the first time since its enactment, a gazette detailing the stipulations around these submissions was published in August.

Accordingly, each candidate was permitted to spend up to Rs. 109 per voter for campaign activities, amounting to a total of 1,868.3 million rupees ($6 million). This marked another first for Sri Lanka’s election law, as a verifiable expenditure limit has not been in place before.

The EC said the report should include an estimated cost of all donations and contributions accepted or received in cash or kind by such recognised or other political party or candidate, stating whether they are donations, loans, advances, or deposits, as well as the “name, address, national identity card number, tax number (TIN), or the registration number of the donor, contributor, or the institution, incorporated or non-incorporated.”

Expenditure on media promotions, from printed handbills and banners to advertisements and broadcast programs, must be included in the submission.

The expenses for all media activities—handbills, posters, banners, pictures, advertisements, propaganda notices, radio and television shows, news bulletins, magazines, periodicals, social media, digital exposes, and any other digital media or publications—as well as the fuel supply for vehicles, regardless of whether payments were made or not, should be included in this report.

The Election Expenditure Act also requires all political parties that participate in the presidential election to include the tax payment information of individuals and companies that are funding presidential candidates.

Submitted records will be available for public viewing within two weeks of the deadline today. The EC had also noted, before the election, that those who failed to meet the deadline provided with accurate and honest information would be subject to the penalties prescribed in the Election Expenditure Act.

(The Sunday Times)

(This story, originally published by The Sunday Times has not been edited by SLM staff)

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has instructed officials to provide immediate relief to those affected by the recent adverse weather conditions across the country, the President’s Media Division (PMD) said.

He also instructed the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence to ensure that special attention is given to the safety of people in districts impacted by floods and landslides and to provide necessary support for 
effective relief operations.

The President emphasised that the government will take action to provide necessary assistance to all affected citizens and that Local Government officials in the affected areas ensure that the people receive the required aid.

Until such time, the President requested the public to act cautiously.

Additionally, the President instructed the Ministry of Finance to allocate Rs. 50 million for relief services and urged state officials to ensure proper coordination in delivering the relief to those in need.

According to the Disaster Management Centre, 24,492 individuals from 6,018 families have been affected by floods and landslides in 11 districts due to the adverse weather conditions experienced in recent days.

At present, 2,200 individuals from 584 families are being sheltered in 23 relief centres. 

Relief operations in all affected districts have already begun, coordinated by state officials through the Chief of Defence Staff’s office.

Emergency situations can be reported by contacting the Disaster Management Centre’s hotline number 117 or by calling 0112136136, 0112136222 or 0112670002.

Train travel along the Puttalam railway line have been limited upto Lunuwila, due to flooding of the railway track near Thummodara. 

Meanwhile the National Disaster Relief Services Centre has instructed district secretaries and district relief service officials to ensure the daily provision of three nutritious meals and clean drinking water to those affected by the adverse weather.

In a statement, the National Disaster Relief Services Centre said that if dry rations are to be provided, they should be distributed systematically among the affected population in accordance with the relevant circular, and documented accordingly.

The center has also advised that all activities should be carried out in a transparent manner and that a process should be used to confirm the accuracy of expenditures related to the relevant purchases and their beneficiary records.

(News1st)

(This story, originally published by News1st has not been edited by SLM staff)