Double Standards

By Raisa Wickrematunge

Double standards are being applied for the evaluation of nomination papers for the upcoming local government election, alleges election monitor Campaign for Free Fair Elections (CAFFE).
CAFFE Executive Director Keerthi Tennekone said at least 16 nominations had been rejected in the Jaffna District alone. He said the main issue had been incorrect translation of the party name. “There is a particular Tamil word for alliance, or sandhanaya. Instead, people used the Tamil word for peramuna,” Tennekone said. He added that this was a significant mistake in legal terms, but pointed out that in Maharagama nominations had been accepted without proper certification. “The party general secretary’s signature must be certified by a JP or a lawyer. The certifying of the UPFA General Secretary’s signature was not done in that area. Yet it was accepted,” Tennekone said.
He opined that there should be more flexibility when it came to the wording. “If the wording used is clear and transparent, then it should be allowed,” he said.
Nomination papers were rejected in at least 42 areas in total, according to CAFFE.
He added however that these figures had not been confirmed. “We have still not received confirmation from the Elections Secretariat. We have got different numbers from our people in the district,” Tennekone said.
Meanwhile, Tennekone said UPFA’s Nuwara Eliya nomination papers had also been rejected due to incorrect form filling. “In Lindula, which is a stronghold of Thondaman, Minister C.B. Rathnayake’s lawyers were blamed. There were allegations of sabotage and people were shouting for blood,” Tennekone said.
Kulatunga, an official at the Elections Department, said that the accusations made by CAFFE were pure speculation. “They were not there when the nominations were received. This is hearsay,” Kulatunga said. He added that the Department had been very fair in the evaluation of nominations. “If people disagree, they can seek redress from the courts,” he said.

Monks To The Fore In Dambulla

A Buddhist organisation in Dambulla headed by Inamaluwe Sumangala Thero has handed in nominations for municipal council posts. The nomination papers of the monks have all been accepted. Keerthi Tennekone was unable to confirm the total number of papers handed in by the organisation. Kulatunga from the Elections Department said they had not yet received information from the Dambulla District officers.
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450 Rejected
According to the Elections Department website, out of 2047 nominations received from all the districts, 450 were rejected in total. Jaffna, Kurunegala, Matale and Colombo districts had the highest number of rejected nominations, with 17, 16,14 and 11 respectively.

Number of areas where nomination papers were rejected

(Figures provided by CAFFE)

UPFA              29
UNP                 7
SLMC              4
JVP                  2

Area and party breakdown

UPFA
Kilinochchi   (13)
Jaffna             (3)
Nuwara Eliya Provincial Council
Lindula-Talawakele Urban Council
Yatinuwara Pradeshiya Sabha (Kandy)
Embilipitiya Urban Council
Moneragala Pradeshiya Sabha
Siyambalanduwa Pradeshiya Sabha
Akmeemana Pradeshiya Sabha (Galle)
Tallekola Pradeshiya Sabha
Vilgamuwa Pradeshiya Sabha
Polgahawela Pradeshiya Sabha
Wennapuwa Pradeshiya Sabha
Nawagaththegama Pradeshiya Sabha
Chilaw Urban Council

UNP
Embilipitiya Urban Council
Warakapola Urban Council
Homagama Pradeshiya Sabha
Weligepola Pradeshiya Sabha
Elhara Pradeshiya Sabha
Welikanda Pradeshiya Sabha
Baddegama Pradeshiya Sabha

SLMC
Minuwangoda Urban Council
Ukkuwela Pradeshiya Sabha
Mawathagama Pradeshiya Sabha
Attanagalla Pradeshiya Sabha

JVP
Vilgamuwa Pradeshiya Sabha
Nattandiya Pradeshiya Sabha