Govt. providing jobs: Speaker to seek EC advice

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya today told parliament that he would seek advice from the elections commission whether it was in violation of election laws to provide jobs in the government sector after an election is announced.

He said this in response to a matter brought up by the opposition that Higher Education and Water Management Minister Rauff Hakeem had called for over 1000 applicants for interviews in violation of election laws.

Opposition MP Dinesh Gunawardane said Trade Unions of the Water Board had given a letter to the General Manager of the Water Board to halt the interviews during election time.

Minister Hakeem said he denied the allegation that over 1000 applicants had been called for interviews and added that interviews had been scheduled even before the election was announced.

He said according to election laws, it was in violation of election laws to provide jobs after nominations were filed and added that providing jobs after nominations were called for was not in violation of election laws.

He said if the Elections Commission informed them if it was violating election laws, they would consider it and requested the opposition to complain to the Elections Commission on the matter. (Ajith Siriwardana)