Lanka election chief warns civil servants

COLOMBO, June 27: Sri Lanka’s election chief Mahinda Deshapriya today warned civil servants of fines and three years in prison for failing to ensure a free and fair parliamentary election announced for August.

“I have powers now to jail public servants for three years and also fine them up to 100,000 rupees,” Deshapriya told reporters a day after President Maithripala Sirisena sacked parliament and cleared the way for an election 10 months ahead of schedule.

Almost all previous elections have been marred by allegations that state officials colluded with the party in power to give them undue advantage. Independent poll monitors have also reported large scale abuse of state vehicles and other resources to boost the campaign of the party in power.

At the previous national vote, the presidential poll in January, Deshapriya had ordered police to” shoot in the head” and kill anyone trying to disrupt elections.