Thondaman questions independence of Sri Lanka’s Election Commission

Former Minister Jeevan Thondaman questioned the independence of the Election Commission of Sri Lanka after it permitted direct cash handouts and subsidies to farmers and fishermen.

This Commission supported direct cash handouts and subsidies to farmers and fishermen ? a major voting bloc – following orders from newly elected President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

However, stating Election law, the same Commission had halted non-cash but critical ongoing development and livelihood programmes aimed at the marginalised plantation community during the Presidential Election, Thondaman said.

Thondaman, who was spearheading a series of initiatives to improve the living conditions of the plantation community, took to social media to highlight the actions of the Commission and published letters from both his Ministry and the Commission.

The former Minister outlined how, in June ? nearly 2 months before the election was declared ? his Ministry had initiated a Rs. 2 billion programme designed to address critical infrastructure, education and basic sanitation needs. These projects included providing roofing sheets to families whose homes had been damaged during the inclement weather in May, securing water and sanitation connections for homes built under the government?s housing programmes and education facilities for schools benefitting from an Indian Government funded STEM teacher training programme.

The letters show that Thondaman and his Ministry had followed all the required protocols, notifying the Election Commission of these ongoing projects. Yet, despite this compliance, they had been blindsided by an order to stop all ongoing activities.

The letter from the Commission, now published on social media, specifically mentioned halting programmes for the ?Plantation Community? ? a move that would have disproportionately affected Malaiyaha Tamils, one of the most marginalised groups in the country. This move could possibly also have violated the Right to Equality of the Plantation Community as guaranteed under Article 12 of the Constitution.

The former Minister?s statement seems to suggest that the Election Commission may have been attempting to manipulate the flow of benefits to politically sensitive communities during the Presidential Election ? withholding development projects to avoid potential electoral gains for certain candidates.

Now, with the General Election approaching, the green lighting of direct cash benefits to fishing and farming communities – a much larger voting bloc, ?raises the spectre of an institution compromised by bias and political interference. (Colombo Gazette)