Unlike Governors, elected local officials are accountable to electors: ex-polls Chief

By Rathindra Kuruwita

It was being claimed in some quarters that spending money on local and provincial councils was a waste of valuable resources and that the local and provincial councils have been operating perfectly without councilors for many years, former Chairman of the Election Commission Mahinda Deshapriya said.

“This is a ludicrous claim. Even without councilors we spend a lot of money on these institutions. When there are elected officials, people can hold them accountable. How can you hold a Governor appointed by the President accountable? Can the average voter even approach a Governor?” he asked.

Deshapriya said that it was the duty of everyone to press the government to hold local council elections because it is the right of the people.

“Local councilors do a lot of work from taking care of your street lamps to maternity clinics. Those who protest demanding elections can do what they are doing, but others must do what they can. Maybe they can just send petitions. Everything counts,” he said.

Deshapriya warned that there would be disastrous consequences if people lose faith in the Election Commission and independent commissions in general. The executive, the legislature and the commissions themselves must restore public faith in the commissions, he said.

“Around 2011-12 there was a belief that there was no point in holding elections because the votes were not counted properly. It took us a long time to convince people that their votes were counted properly.

Deshapriya said that the President had to hold elections and the members of the Election Commission must reveal whether Ranil Wickremesinghe attempted to influence them during their meetings.

“Unless the commissioners tell us, we really can’t say anything,” he said.

Deshapriya said that he had sent an application for rejoining the Election Commission thus it was inappropriate for him to comment on how he would have handled the current crisis.