September 02, Colombo (LNW): Election Commissioner General Saman Sri Ratnayake has clarified that candidates in the forthcoming Presidential Election are prohibited from using their allocated airtime to promote other candidates.
He emphasised that each candidate must submit their television footage and audio recordings, containing the material they intend to present to the public, for prior approval by the Election Commission.
This statement was made during a media training workshop organised by the Intenivus Institute on 31st August at the Royal Mall Hotel in Kandy, where Ratnayake participated as a guest.
He pointed out that some candidates enter the race with the intention of backing another contender, leading to the introduction of this regulation based on experiences from previous elections.
Ratnayake further announced that, starting from 1st September, candidates nominated for the Presidential Election would be provided with the opportunity to address the electorate via radio and television channels.
This initiative aims to ensure that all candidates can communicate their platforms directly to the public, while maintaining fairness in the election process.
By enforcing these rules, the Commission seeks to prevent any misuse of media access that might skew voter perceptions or give undue advantage to certain candidates.
