'Income/ Expenditure Report' a MUST for candidates: NEC

COLOMBO (News 1st): The National Elections Commission (NEC) proposed the submission of an "Income and Expenditure Report" by all candidates contesting an election, be included in the new constitution, the NEC Chairman said. This was proposed through the list of proposals submitted by the NEC, to the committee appointed to draft the new constitution. It was proposed that all candidates submit the relevant "Income/ Expenditure Report" within a month of the election results being released, Attorney-at-Law Nimal Punchihewa, the Chairman of the National Elections Commission told News 1st on Friday (Feb. 12). "Candidates and organisations that support the candidates spend a considerable sum of money when contesting elections, which is deemed a waste," NEC Chairman pointed out. Thereby, it has been proposed that the seats of candidates who won, be abolished in the event he/she fails to submit the Income/ Expenditure Report, the Elections Chief emphasized. "In the event it is revealed that a candidate had deliberately altered the Income/ Expenditure Report, it could also be considered as a valid cause to abolish the seat," Attorney-at-Law Nimal Punchihewa added. Furthermore, the list of proposals submitted to the committee drafting the new constitution, notes that the National Elections Commission be granted the authority to fill the National List seat of a party, in the event a party fails to nominate a member for the seat, the NEC further noted.