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Polls monitor warns: 20A will dilute powers of Election Commission
Text and picture by Priyan De Silva
The National Coordinator of the Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) Manjula Gajanayake said, yesterday, that if the 20th Amendment to the Constitution was passed in its present form even the vision of the Election Commission of Sri Lanka, ‘A nation that safeguards universal franchise’ would have to be amended as elections will no longer be free and fair.
Gajanayake said that the Soulbury Commission appointed in 1944 had inspired the establishment of the Department of Elections headed by the Commissioner of Elections on the 1st of October 1955 by amalgamating the Department of Parliamentary Elections and the Department of Local Authorities Elections.
The principal duty of the Department of Elections was to take measures necessary to preserve the franchise of citizens by conducting free and fair elections and referendums, registration of all qualified citizens annually in the electoral register as voters and prevent the entering of names of disqualified persons.
The Commissioner and the Department of Elections had been given independence which was not found in any other government entity from the days of its inception, Gajanayake said, adding that the independence of the Department of elections had been preserved by not placing it under the purview of any ministry, by not appointing or removing officers in the department without the consent of the Commissioner of Elections, by making provisions for the Commissioner to operate independently and by not influencing the Department in any manner. The Commissioner of Elections was responsible only to the judiciary, he insisted.
Gajanayake was of the view that by the 20th Amendment the autonomous powers of the Election Commission would be diluted, or deprived fully, and erode public trust.
“As the President becomes the appointing authority of the Election Commission after 20A”, Gajanayake questioned whether justice could be sought from a commission consisting of people who are handpicked by the President? He said that even though prior to 2015 the Commissioner of Elections was appointed by the President, the President was subject to some limits and required to appoint an official with due reputation in the administrative sector.
Another matter of concern after 20A would be the appointment of the Commissioner General of Elections by the Election Commission as the Commission may appoint a person of its discretion who may be from the state sector or otherwise thus for the first time in history paving the way for someone from outside the public service to be appointed to lead election officials.
Gajanayake wished to remind the public that the District Secretaries who were the key people who lead any election were already under the Ministry of Defense, and draw public attention to what might take place under this backdrop when the Commission loses its autonomous power.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
