Presidential candidates barred from throwing parties for voters

• It amounts to an offence under Presidential Elections Act
• New debate sparked over action against a party that was to be hosted by a Presidential candidate
• Candidates are not supposed to offer food, drink, refreshments or gifts

Colombo, August 27 (Daily Mirror) - The conduct of parties to lavish people with food, drinks or refreshments by the presidential candidates amounts to an offence under treating, in accordance with the Presidential Elections Act and therefore they are barred from doing so, an official said yesterday.

In the past, candidates were used to host parties for their supporters, but the matter was hardly raised at that time. However, a fresh public debate has been sparked after the election authorities stopped a party that was to be hosted by a presidential candidate in Anuradhapura for professionals
and academics based in the area.

Asked about the matter, Additional Election Commissioner- Legal Chintaka Kularatne told Daily Mirror that such treating amount to inducements in terms of the Presidential Election Act, and therefore candidates in the fray were not supposed to raise it.

According to Section 77 of the Act, treating is an offence. Candidates are not supposed to offer food, drink, refreshments or gifts.

Presidential campaigns have become marathons for those in the contest. They now proceed through door-knocking, meetings, candidate debates, media interviews and leaf­leting. People will go to the polls on September 21.