Campaign financing report must be submitted 21 days post-election: EC

By Ajith Siriwardana   

All the presidential candidates are required to submit the campaign financing report outlining the income and expenditure within 21 days after the Presidential Election and in the event of a failure to do so, they will have to face legal action, Chairman of the Elections Commission Saman Sri Rathnayake said yesterday.   

He told a news conference at the Government Information Department that as per the Regulation of Election Expenditure Act, all  the candidates including the winning candidate is bound to submit the  campaign financing report and his or her position and civic rights will  be scrapped after legal process.   

Explaining the provisions in the Act, he said the lawsuit will be filed by the police through the Attorney General if fake  information was provided or failure to submit the report within 21 days  post the election.   

He said the Election Commission (EC) has set a cap on campaign expenditure at Rs. 109 per voter.   

Responding to a question, he said Ministry secretaries must  take responsibility for misuse of public property in the election  campaign and that they need to ensure that such practices do not take  place.