Pre-poll scam in South: PAFFREL

UPFA members of the Southern Provincial Council have surreptitiously taken one million rupees each from an institution coming under the provincial authorities to be used for their political activities in view of the March 29 elections, officials said yesterday.

The Southern Province Development Authority, which comes under the Chief Minister, had apportioned one million rupees each to the 38 outgoing members of the Council prior to its dissolution to be used for various projects aimed at boosting their election campaigns.

People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) lodged a complaint with the Galle district election authorities in this regard.

“The Authority had made these allocations before the dissolution. Actually, it had been done on December 31, 2013.  The council was dissolved two weeks later. It is inappropriate to make such allocations to members ahead of dissolution. It makes way for the respective members to misuse them for political propaganda,” PAFFREL Executive Director Rohana Hettiarachchi said.

He also said each candidate had surreptitiously acted to get these monies released   for project proposals put forward by them.

“They have acted to draw cheques under the names of different individuals, the respective candidates had handed over them to the recipients,” he said.

In one instance, a Rs.5000 cheque bearing number 013100228115 had been issued by the Galle branch of People’s Bank.

Meanwhile, Galle District Deputy Elections Commissioner Bimal Indrajith said he instructed the Chief Secretary of the Southern Province to investigate the public complaint in this regard.

He said payments had been made by cheques drawn in favour of each candidate.

“An inquiry was being held to decide whether the payment amounted to bribery,” he said.

A team of officers from the Auditor General’s Department had initiated a probe, on the request of the Chief Secretary. (Kelum Bandara and D.G. Sugathapala)