The Colombo Magistrate’s Court has directed the Fraud Investigation Bureau (FIB) to investigate candidates and their representatives who failed to submit proper expense reports under the Election Expenditure Regulation Act for the Presidential Election held on September 21, 2024. The Court also instructed the FIB to provide a progress report on the investigation by March 14, 2025.
The order was issued by Colombo Additional Magistrate Manjula Ratnayake after considering facts presented by the FIB regarding seven complaints filed by the Election Commission for non-compliance with the Election Expenditure Act.
During the hearing, the FIB informed the Court that, as per the Election Expenditure Act No. 03 of 2023, all candidates and their representatives were required to submit detailed reports of their election-related expenses to the Election Commission by October 13, 2024. However, the Election Commission had lodged complaints against several candidates and their representatives who had yet to fulfill this legal obligation.
Taking these details into account, the Court instructed the FIB to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the matter and ensure compliance with the Act.
