Election monitoring body – the People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) filed a motion in the Supreme Court today over the distribution of drought relief to families in Moneragala, which Basil Rajapaksa managed to get sanctioned by the judiciary overriding directives given by the Elections Commissioner to halt the distribution since it could amount to voter bribery.
In the motion filed today, PAFFREL has requested the Courts to consider varying the orders made in the case heard on September 12 that permitted the distribution of drought relief, to be completely stopped and to be resumed once more when the election concludes.
Pointing out the distribution of drought relief in the form of Rs. 2500 per family in the Moneragala district has undermined the integrity and impartiality of the Uva Provincial polls, PAFFREL has requested the SC to also consider distributing drought relief to families in all drought affected districts in the same manner like Moneragala as an alternative to putting a complete stop to the distribution of reliefs.
In the motion PAFFREL has asserted that considering the Uva PC polls are to be held on September 20 and the heavily contested campaigning that is continuing and the initial plans of the Economic Development Ministry to distribute Rs. 2500 per family, singling out Moneragala creates doubt that these reliefs are being used as a political tool by the UPFA since no such relief has been provided to any other drought affected district to which includes Batticaloa, Polonnaruwa and Hambanthota.
PAFFREL has noted that vital material relevant to the distribution of drought relief to Moneragala residents had not been disclosed before the Courts while also stating that the petitioners have failed to make the necessary parties such as the Elections Commissioner and the Disaster Management Ministry Secretary, included in the application.
Against such a backdrop, the election monitoring body has noted that the permission granted by the SC to distribute the drought relief has undermined the powers of the Elections Commissioner who is vested with the authority to give directions to maintain a free and fair election.
While also requesting the Court to instruct the Respondents to outline the criteria adopted in selecting the beneficiaries to distribute the respective reliefs in the district, PAFFREL has requested the SC to direct that in the future elections no such reliefs – whether relating to any disaster or not – be distributed during an election campaign without prior approval obtained from the Elections Commissioner.
Read the full petition here
Lapatiya / September 15, 2014
This also will examine by the same bunch of crooks and the decision has already written in Rajagedara.
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Chandra / September 15, 2014
Our “mechanic” rationale in another thread
“In order to help other districts the government has to win current elections and that’s what they have done here”
LOL!
SC manipulated by the Cheap Justice would be the same?
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Meeharak / September 15, 2014
Take 2500 and not vote for these rogue clowns. Aint or sri lankans smart man? Dont these idiots have a IQ level? IS it ZERO? Dont htese idiots know about rajapassas, rajavassas raja yakas destroying the whole country? One payment of 2500 can bribe these village idiots?
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BBS Rep / September 16, 2014
The MaRa led GSOL are past masters at bribery and corruption. See how many UNP MPs were made to forget their principles and cross over with little bits of sweeteners.
MaRa knows how easy it is to make people bend his way even with a small ‘santhosam’, a measly 2500 rupees. This tells about the level of education and intelligence of our people who could be bought so easily and make them ignore the horrendous corruption and mismanagement of the country by the MaRa cabal. The Sri Lankan voter deserves to be treated as cows.
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Upasiri de Silva / September 16, 2014
As the Sc Judges and the CJ hold these positions with the blessing of Rajapaksa regime, the verdict may be that ” distribution of relief is a must as people are in need of these funds”. What the opposition parties should do is to request people or voters in Monaragala to take the funds, as Bandula told many moons back, sufficient for a family to live ONE month lavishly, and vote for any opposition party to save the country.
As Basil has vanished after he was given the step motherly treatement by Mahinda, most probably his Ministry may support the petition. Anyhow as Mahinda got a very good message from Welimada people they are now try to turn every thing to win UVA, to save face.
I am of the opinion UVA voters are very brave and intelligent to throw this regime out from UVA.
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / September 16, 2014
Please find below the link to an article by Chandraprema on the expected UVA election outcome and the on-going violence. The writer as per habit tries to bury the kernel of truth in plenty of conjecture , Sinhala-Buddhist allusions/illusions and hyperbole:
http://dbsjeyaraj.com/dbsj/archives/33171
The National Farmers Federation has also petitioned the SC on the drought relief issue. Let us see whether our current SC can prove its worth as the suprme upholder and guardian of the law!
Dr.Rajasingham Narendran
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Leonard / September 16, 2014
How can the Supreme Court vary the order given in respect of relief to Monaragala. The order came from Basil and Mohan and other jokers only read the order in court. They should file the motion in the ministry and not in the courts. Not like those days there are no judges there only boot lickers.
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Thrishantha / September 16, 2014
Basil and Mahinda R. very well know the level of greed in people. These are seasoned politicians. They openly claim that they know the Gami Chinthanaya (how villagers think) more than anybody. This is a classic demonstration of the application of what Basil and Mahinda think villagers are.
If people of Uva have an iota of brain, they should take this money knowing that this will stop the day the election is over, and teach them a lesson for trying to disgrace their wit with bribes, by voting the opposition.
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