MOST people woke to banner headlines ... of an Opposition elections candidate being arrested ... for robbing Rs20 million from a jewellery store in Negombo.
The money was to be used to win the upcoming Western and Southern Provincial Councilelections. ..
In most instances, the public as well as the media focuson deaths or incidents involving firearms, but what needs to be noticed are the small incidents. Duringevery election, polls monitors add up hundreds of violations that are put into reports, sent to top officials and subsequently forgotten by everyone including the Elections Commissioner. But .. these little `events` undermine the election process just as much if not more than the major events. ...
Weekend reports were also bursting with instances of candidates continuing tomisuse state assets and flout election regulations. Monitoring organisations had advised candidates contesting seats ... to refrain from misusing state assets during the pre-election period. . .
However, all major parties have violated election laws by using public assets to conduct their election propaganda campaigns and arealso alleged to have distributed goods and rations to people to influence them. ...
. .[A1 complaint[has been received] that the Ministry of Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities ... had decided to give away laptops to development officers.
..[Als observers noted during the previous round of elections ... the entire mechanism needs to be changed to empower the Elections Commissioner.
