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Monaragala LG candidate removed from seat for bribing voters

14 Sep 2021

A candidate of one of the Local Government (LG) bodies in Monaragala was removed from their position on Monday (13), on charges of having won their seat by bribing voters. This occurred as an outcome of a case against the above party over offering bribes to voters at the previous LG elections, filed by the People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL), the Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CEMV), and another candidate of the same LG elections. The judgement in this regard was issued by Monaragala High Court Judge Ranga Dissanayake. The judgment declared the candidate who had purportedly won the seat by bribing the voters as null and void. Accordingly, he was removed by order of the court, and the candidate who had secured the next highest number of votes was ordered to be appointed to fill the vacant position. This ruling is expected to serve as a deterrent to future candidates from bribing voters, as it proves that their positions can be subsequently challenged if such charges are proven in court, stated PAFFREL Executive Director Rohana Hettiarachchi, who added that the need for enacting laws to limit election expenses by candidates and the provision of a level playing field for all candidates in an election has been re-emphasised by this incident. He also noted that the implementation of the Right to Information (RTI) Act paved the way for procuring the information required for this victory. He stated: “We were compelled to pursue this case amidst many obstacles. The two lawyers who have given their utmost commitment in this case – while certain institutions that ought to have supported our endeavour had avoided their responsibility – deserve the respect and gratitude of all those who value democracy. This achievement will certainly be a source of joy to the election officials who have supported it sincerely. We also wish to thank all the civil society representatives and staff who have worked hard towards this achievement.”  


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