Election Com. to check candidates' campaign expenses

The Election Commission will determine the maximum expenditure by each candidate at an election depending on the number of registered voters in the respective electoral area, after regulations on Election Expenditure are approved in Parliament.

The regulations were gazetted this week ahead of approval in Parliament and implementation.

The maximum expenditure will be decided by the Election Commission depending on the particular election and by multiplication of the number of voters in the respective area.

For the local council elections, the amount will be decided on the number of voters in the respective local authority.

For the provincial council elections, it will be decided based on the registered voters in the administrative district contested by the candidate. For the parliamentary elections, expenses will be decided based on the number of registered voters in the electoral district contested by the candidate.

The expenses for the Presidential election will be decided on the basis of the multiplication of the total number of registered voters in the country.

Under the regulations, if a candidate incurs expenditure in excess of the authorised amount it would be an offence punishbale under the respective election law.

Prohibited are donations from a government department, a public corporation or a company incorporated under the Companies Act, a foreign government, an international organisation or a body corporate incorporated or registered outside Sri Lanka or from any person whose identity is not disclosed.

Within 21 days after the election results are published, the candidates will be required to submit to the respective authority details of donations or contributions. They should state whether it was a donation, contribution, gift, loan, advance or deposit. The name, address and the National Identity Card number of the donor also should mentioned.