President violated election law: SLPP

The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) today accused President Maithripala Sirisena of having violated election laws by saying funds won’t be allocated to the Local Government (LG) bodies that are won by the SLPP.

It said Minister Lakshman Kiriella had also said the funds would be distributed through Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to the LG bodies.

“This is a threat made to discourage SLPP voters and to collect votes for the SLFP and UNP. Council funds belong to people and they should be distributed among LG bodies irrespective of the political party which governs it. Funds are not handouts or the private property of either the President or the Premier,” SLPP Chairman G.L. Peiris told a news briefing.

He pointed out that threatening to cut off funds to a LG body was a violation of election law as well as depriving the fundamental rights of the people.

Apart from issuing threats, he said the government continues to mislead the masses.

“The government says action will be taken against those who are responsible for the bond scam. However, Arjuna Mahendran is still in Singapore. No action will be taken against him as it was he who helped and facilitated the ‘Singapore meetings’ which helped this government to come to power,” he said.

Meanwhile, MP Bandula Gunawardana said the joint opposition had been critical about the inefficiency and fiscal mismanagement of the United National Party for years although the President had only taken notice of it just as an election was pending. (Lahiru Pothmulla)

Video by Sanjeewa