Voter apathy: Instil confidence in voters

- SF tells Deshapriya

by Shamindra Ferdinando-May 28, 2013

 Democratic Party leader General Sarath Fonseka yesterday told The Island that Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya had to instil confidence among the Sri Lankans in the country’s electoral process.

The vast majority of Sri Lankans had lost faith in the electoral process due to major malpractices, the former army commander said, urging Deshapriya to take meaningful measures to encourage more people to exercise their franchise. Over the years there had been gradual reluctance on the part of some voters to exercise their franchise due to the belief that it wouldn’t make any difference, the retired General said.

Former Democratic National Alliance (DNA) MP was commenting on the launch of a special project to facilitate all eligible voters to exercise their franchise.

Addressing the media recently at the Elections Secretariat, Deshapriya said his department would celebrate June 1 as the annual ‘Voters’ Day’ in accordance with a special awareness programme to encourage voters.

The General was speaking to The Island during yesterday’s campaigning in the Puttalam District.

Additional Commissioner of Elections U. Amaradasa told The Island yesterday that Polls Commissioner Deshapriya had written to the General Secretaries of all registered political parties requesting their support for the special project. Amaradasa said that in accordance with Deshapriya’s directive, representatives of political parties could accompany Grama Sevaka Niladharis, engaged in distributing electoral registration forms.

Gen. Fonseka said that he really appreciated Deshapriya’s efforts, but the polls chief should realise the incumbent government had caused irreparable damage to electoral process. The abolition of the 17th Amendment to the Constitution had undermined efforts to prevent the government from interfering in the electoral process, he said.

The former Chief of Defence Staff is of the opinion that the voters’ apathy is primarily due to the failure on the part of the Elections Secretariat to intervene forcefully to thwart large scale malpractices.

Responding to a query, Gen. Fonseka said that there wouldn’t have been a requirement for special projects to entice voters if the Elections Secretariat could assure a level playing field.

Asked whether the Democratic Party would support the polls chiefs’ campaign, Gen. Fonseka urged his supporters to take advantage of the ongoing registering process of voters. In spite of having a well organised apparatus to terrorise the public, the SLFP-led UPFA was now struggling on the political front, the war winning army commander said.

The forthcoming Local Government elections in the North Western and Central Province would give the masses an opportunity to express their displeasure, Sri Lanka’s first four-star General said. Since the recent launch of the Democratic Party, there had been a tremendous response from those who had been let down by both the ruling coalition as well as major opposition parties, he said. "We are gearing for elections in the North Western Province," the General said, claiming that the government was now in two minds regarding early PC polls in the North Western and Central Provinces due to significant public swing against the ruling coalition.