GRAVE  CONCERNS  FOR  A  FREE  AND  FAIR  PRESIDENTIAL  ELECTION  AND  THE  RULE  
OF  LAW  
 
20th   January   2010,   Colombo,   Sri   Lanka:   The   Centre   for   Policy   Alternatives   (CPA)   is   deeply  
concerned   by   the   developments   this   week   that   suggest   the   remainder   of   the   election   campaign  
and  the  presidential  election  itself  would  not  be  conducted  according  to  the  legal  procedures  and  
limitations  established  by  the  Constitution  and  the  law.  
 
The   Commissioner   of   Elections   appears   to   have   given   up   on   his   attempts   to   enforce   the   law   in  
terms   of   his   powers   under   the   Seventeenth   Amendment.   He   has   withdrawn   the   Competent  
Authority  appointed  to  regulate  the  state  media  institutions  due  to  the  refusal  of  those  bodies  to  
implement  the  directions  of  the  Competent  Authority.  He  has  also  publicly  stated  that  he  would  
not  be  issuing  any  more  directions  to  the  Police,  because  his  directions  are  not  being  followed.  On  
other  matters  regarding  the  misuse  of  public  property,  in  particular  over  the  misconduct  of  the  
Telecommunications  Regulatory  Commission,  the  Commissioner  has  not  taken  any  demonstrable  
measures.  
 
We  unequivocally  maintain  that  the  failure  and/or  refusal  of  public  officials  and  other  persons  to  
follow   the   directions   of   the   Commissioner   and   the   Competent   Authority   is   a   clear   breach   of   a  
legal  duty  imposed  by  the  Constitution.  That  such  officials  feel  able,  by  refusing  to  act  according  
to  the  directions  of  the  Commissioner,  to  violate  the  Constitution  and  election  laws  illustrates  the  
contempt  and  disregard  with  which  the  Rule  of  Law  is  held  in  Sri  Lanka  today.    
 
However,   we   also   state   that   the   Commissioner   himself   is   under   a   constitutional   duty   to   duly  
exercise  his  powers  under  the  Seventeenth  Amendment,  notwithstanding  any  pressure  brought  
upon  him  or  in  the  face  of  non-­‐cooperation  from  public  officials.  We  note  that  the  Commissioner  
has  recourse  to  the  writ  jurisdiction  of  the  Supreme  Court  to  have  his  directions  enforced  in  this  
regard;   a   course   of   action   he   has   chosen   to   ignore.   The   result   is   that   an   undesirable   perception   is  
created  that  the  Constitution  and  the  law  can  be  broken  or  disregarded  with  impunity.  Moreover,  
more   transparency   and   public   information   from   the   Commissioner’s   office   would   have   helped  
the  Commissioner  by  generating  public  support  for  his  endeavours.  
 
In  the  context  of  a  keenly  contested  election  in  which  there  is  a  rising  trend  of  violence  and  the  
possibility   of   widespread   election   malpractice   (including   serious   unresolved   problems   and  
public   confusion   over   voter   registration,   electoral   lists,   voter   identification   and  other   matters),   it  
is  critical  that  the  powers  of  the  Commissioner  are  not  neutralised  in  any  way.    
 
A   free   and   fair   election   according   procedure   established   by   law   is   in   the   interests   of   all   the  
citizens   of   Sri   Lanka.   It   is   also   in   the   interests   of   those   contesting   this   historic   first   post-­‐war  
presidential  election  that  there  is  no  scope  for  question  of  the  integrity  of  the  electoral  process  

GRAVE  CONCERNS  FOR  A  FREE  AND  FAIR  PRESIDENTIAL  ELECTION  AND  THE  RULE  OF   1  
LAW  |  CPA  Press  Release  
and   the   legitimacy   of   the   outcome.   This   election   is   a   litmus   test   of   our   continuing   commitment   to  
democracy  and  the  Rule  of  Law.  It  is  also  the  basis  of  our  commitment  to  post-­‐war  peacebuilding  
and  reconciliation.    
 
CPA  therefore  asks  the  Commissioner  of  Elections  to  exercise  his  powers  without  fear,  that  public  
officials  discharge  their  duties  impartially  and  according  to  the  law,  and  requests  the  candidates  
and   their   supporters   to   desist   from   conduct   that   is   against   the   law   or   inimical   to   democratic  
values.   We   also   call   upon   voters   to   actively   condemn   instigators   of   election   violence   and  
malpractices,   irrespective   of   party   affiliation,   in   order   to   ensure   an   electoral   process   and  
outcome  more  reflective  of  essential  democratic  values  shared  by  all.    

GRAVE  CONCERNS  FOR  A  FREE  AND  FAIR  PRESIDENTIAL  ELECTION  AND  THE  RULE  OF   2  
LAW  |  CPA  Press  Release