The Election Commission’s Chairman has refuted a major news story published in the “Mawbima” newspaper today (17), which alleged that the Commission had sent a letter to the Presidential Secretary regarding a violation of election laws. The newspaper expressed strong displeasure over the Chairman’s denial.

The news titled “Complaints about President’s Statement on Not Allocating Funds to Non-Functioning Councils – Don’t Talk About Breaking Election Laws: Election Commission Writes to President” was based on sources within the Election Commission. However, “Mawbima” expressed its disapproval of the Commission’s contradictory stances within 24 hours and sent letters to both the Election Commission and the Government’s Director General of Information today.

The Election Commission’s conflicting positions stem from a complaint filed by the CMEV organization two weeks ago, alleging that President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s statements at election rallies in Buttala and Tissamaharama violated the Undue Influence and Bribery provisions of the Local Authorities Elections Ordinance.

The Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) also filed a complaint with the Election Commission on the 2nd of this month against the President’s statements on election platforms that it would be difficult to allocate funds if a group other than the National People’s Power won the Local Government elections.

In their complaint titled “Complaint Regarding Violation of Election Law by the Executive President During the 2025 Local Government Election Campaign,” CMEV stated that their organization’s analytical view is that the President’s statements seriously violate sections 82(c) and 82(d) (Undue Influence and Bribery) of the Local Authorities Elections Ordinance.

CMEV argued that the President cannot threaten voters by suggesting that financial needs in Tissamaharama and Buttala will be delayed or may be delayed if they do not elect his party’s representatives to the respective Pradeshiya Sabhas.

The organization contends that the President’s statement combines both a threat and a promise when compared to his other statement about providing funds without question for proposals led by a National People’s Power representative.

CMEV expressed concerns about the President repeatedly broadcasting this message throughout the country and emphasized that such statements by the President, who is expected to transcend party politics, constitute a threat and a bribe to voters who do not wish to vote for the National People’s Power.

The government has refuted a news report by Mawbima newspaper, which claimed that the Election Commission had sent a letter to the President regarding alleged violations of election laws.

The Mawbima report stated that the Election Commission had sent the letter to the Presidential Secretariat based on complaints made by several election monitoring organizations. The complaints alleged that the President’s statements on political platforms about not providing funds to local government bodies that do not have government power were a violation of election laws.

However, the Government Information Department issued a statement denying the report and stated that no such letter had been sent.

Mawbima newspaper has stood by its report, stating that it was based on a statement from a senior official of the Election Commission and that it could produce a recording of the relevant conversation to prove its veracity.

The Election Commission has not yet issued an official statement on the matter.