JVP complains to HRC

1 September 2014 11:38 am

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) today filed a complaint with the Human Rights Commission asking it to compel Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya to ban some 26,000 government officers from being used in the government’s election campaign in the Uva Province.

The JVP in its complaint accused the government of planning to use 26,000 Divi Neguma Development Department officers and Agricultural Research Production Assistants to help the government’s election campaign in the guise of carrying gout a survey in the Province on September 5.  

JVP candidate Sudath Balagalla said his human rights had been violated on political grounds and cited the following as respondents -- the Elections Commissioner, Divi Neguma Development Department Director General and four others.

“The Government is using a large number of its officials in the campaign and candidates like Mr. Balagalla have no access to such privileges. Deploying government employees for electioneering is not only illegal but it is unfair to other opponents,” JVP Western Provincial Councillor Sunil Watagala said. (Lahiru Pothmulla)




Pix by Samantha Perera