EC: Only God knows if 17A could help Opp. win next election By Shamindra Ferdinando-May 22, 2014 Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya yesterday said that only the God knew whether the restoration of the 17th Amendment to the Constitution could help the Opposition win the next national level election. Speculation is rife in political circles that President Mahinda Rajapaksa will declare a presidential election early next year. Deshapriya was responding to a query by The Island at a media briefing at his office. Asked whether he subscribed to the Opposition’s assertion that setting up of an Independent Election Commission would create a level playing field, thereby enabling them to defeat the ruling coalition, a smiling Polls Chief said that Election Department officials couldn’t respond to that query. Only God would be able to answer that, he said. Deshapriya instructed Deputy Commissioner M. M. Mohamed to translate his response into Tamil. When pressed for an answer, Deshapriya pointed out that the Opposition had won the Colombo Municipal Council polls in 2011 without having an Independent Election Commission. The UNP, JVP and the Democratic Party (DP) are pushing for the establishment of five Independent Commissions namely, Election Commission, Public Service Commission, National Police Commission, Human Right Commission, Permanent Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption, Finance Commission and Delimitation Commission. The polls chief dismissed allegations that his department was under political pressure. Commenting on suggestion that he emulate the Indian Election Commission, Deshapriya said that he would like to know what the media as well as political parties believed the proposed Election Commission under the 17th Amendment could do what he was unable to do at present. He said that the 18th Amendment to the Constitution, too, envisaged the setting up of an Independent Commission, though it was yet to be named. The 18th Amendment stipulates that outsiders couldn’t be appointed to the Independent Commission. Deshapriya alleged that political parties here turned even a minor election into a national one. Deshapriya warned political parties not to ridicule his department as it would be inimical to their interests. The official alleged that such strategies would result in voters losing faith in the electoral process leading to voter apathy. The Election Secretariat was ready to conduct Uva Provincial Council poll later this year, Deshapriya said, adding that if the council was allowed to complete its full term, the election would be held on the third Saturday of November 2014. However, such an eventuality was unlikely due to the presentation of next budget in November. Deshapriya referred to recent statement attributed to Cabinet spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwelle that the Uva PC poll would be held in September. According to the election calendar, local government polls are scheduled for next year. Presidential and parliamentary polls are scheduled for 2016.