Implementation of Election Campaign Finance law, now up to Parliament

• A total of 196 candidates are to be elected from 22 electorates at the next local government election
• The Gazette notification on the number of representatives to be elected for each division will be issued dated December 8, 2022 

By Kalani Kumarasinghe  

Nominations for the Local Government Elections will be called for during the final week of December, the National Election Commission announced. The Commission said that the nominations will be called for as per the provisions of the Local Authorities Elections (Amendment) Act.  

According to a statement from the Election Commission a total of 196 candidates are to be elected from 22 electorates at the next local government election. The Gazette notification on the number of representatives to be elected for each division will be issued dated December 8, 2022.  

Asked about the progress of the draft bill which seeks to regulate election campaign finances, Chairman of the National Election Commission Nimal Punchihewa said the implementation is now up to the Parliament. “It will be good if the law comes into effect before the local government elections. We hope that it will. But that is entirely up to the parliamentary process,” he said.   

The draft bill which was approved by the Attorney General seeks to regulate the expenditure of each candidate contesting under the Local Authorities Elections Ordinance, Provincial Councils Elections Act, the Parliamentary Elections Act and the Presidential Elections Act.  

If implemented, the new law will set a maximum expenditure limit decided by the Election Commissioner prior to the election. The limit will be set following discussions with all parties and individual candidates. Under the provisions, candidates will also be required to declare the costs for their election campaign. If candidates are found to have violated the expenditure limits set by the Election Commissioner, they are liable to fines, a jail term if found guilty in court and will also lose their seat if elected. 

Singer Nuwan Gunawardana bids eternal adieus

Veteran singer Nuwan Gunawardana passed away this evening at a private hospital.

He was one of the leading playback singers in Sri Lankan Sinhala cinema.   

He sang popular duets such as Sihil Pawane, Pawanak Se, Sanda Men Bala, Pawi Giyawe Lande Ma Obe.