30 July 2024 07:28 am Views - 88
By Yohan Perera
The Election Commission (EC) has stopped Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa from conducting the Sakwala and Husma programmes to distribute IT equipment to schools and medical equipment to hospitals. The stoppage comes two days after the presidential elections, 2024,was declared by the commission. Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara protested the decision and asked the Commission to act impartially.
Mr. Madduma Bandara in a letter addressed to Election Commission Chairman had also requested the Commission to deal with the programmes carried out by the government at the moment. “We appealed to you that the Sakwala and Husma programmes will be carried out without publicity, to ensure that they would not be counted as propaganda. However, it is sad to note that they have not heeded our request,” Mr. Madduma Bandara said.
“The election laws have prohibited using state assets for election work. The Jayagamu Sri Lanka programme carried out by the Ministry of Labour and Foreign Employment, the Urumaya programme is carried out by the Ministry of Lands and Tourism, the Daham Pasal assistance programme carried out by the Ministry of Buddha Sasana. The Randora programme carried out by the Urban Development Authority (UDA) also amounts to politically motivated programmes,” he said.
“We urge you to act impartially and treat all presidential candidates equally,” he also said.