Sri Lanka's Election Commission says it has received complaints regarding election propaganda activities being carried out at places of worship for the purpose of the Parliamentary election scheduled on 5th August.

The Election Commission has received a large number of complaints in this regard from the districts of Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Hambantota and Ampara in particular.

In terms of Section 79 of the Parliamentary Elections Act, No. 1 of 1981, anyone who carries out propaganda activities at a place of worship or utters at any religious assembly any words for the purpose of promoting, demoting the election or the election campaign of any political party, independent group, candidate, shall be guilty of the offence of undue influence.

“The Election Commission, however, respectfully requests all Venerable and Reverend Sirs to be kind enough to not allow the places of worship being used for the purpose of promoting, demoting any political party, independent group, candidate and also to abstain from carrying out any activity that promotes, demotes any party, independent group, candidate during the election period,” the Commission Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya said in a statement.

The Election Commission requested all authorized agents, group leaders, candidates and political activists of all political parties, independent groups to abstain from holding meetings at places of worship for the promotion of any political party, independent group, and candidate and from allowing anyone to do anything including expressing at any religious assembly views for the purpose of promoting, demoting any party, independent group, candidate.

In the event of any promotion, demotion of any party, independent group, candidate as aforesaid, the Election Commission requests the general public to bring it to the notice of the nearest Police Station, District Election Complaint Management Unit or the National Election Complaint Management Centre established at the Election Commission.

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