EC lacks teeth in tracking, analysing parties manipulating spending cap: ANFREL

• Urges EC to investigate complaints related to misuse of state resources

By Leenah Wahab  

Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL), a poll observer group that monitored the Presidential Election, said the Election Commission acknowledged its limitations in tracking and analysing spending, allowing campaign parties to manipulate the spending cap, and to prevent this, it recommended a revision of the Election Expenditure Act and facilitating robust monitoring mechanisms, including digital platforms.

  
An interim report published by the ANFREL highlights the need for Parliament to provide legal protections for whistleblowers and the implementation of Right to Information laws to expose cases of misuse of state resources. In the report, ANFREL urges the Election Commission to exercise their election adjudication powers by transparently investigating complaints filed regarding the misuse of state resources.  

“Despite the existence of laws and codes of conduct, enforcement appeared to be weak. Reports of government vehicles being used for campaign purposes, the rushed completion of public projects in key constituencies, and biased coverage by state-run media in favour of the incumbent were insufficiently addressed. This suggests limitations in the ECSL’s capacity or authority to fully implement the regulations, despite its status as an independent body,” ANFREL wrote.  

The reports identifies a clear bias in state-run media, which heavily favoured the incumbent, Ranil Wickremesinghe during the electoral cycle. “Opposition candidates such as Sajith Premadasa and Anura Kumara Dissanayake received minimal airtime,” the report said.  

However, the report states that across the 147 polling stations observed by ANFREL, “the voting process proceeded smoothly, with effective coordination between the ECSL and polling staff,” with exceptions of issues of compromised ballot secrecy and inadequate accessibility for persons with disabilities and the elderly. “While these issues did not significantly affect the election’s overall integrity, addressing them in future elections will enhance the transparency, inclusiveness, and credibility of the process,” they said.