A complaint has been made to the Election Commission that president’s chief of staff Sagala Ratnayake has violated election regulations.
The complainant is senior journalist Lasantha Ruhunage, deputy editor of ‘Anidda’.
Being chief-of-staff of the president, Ratnayake cannot address a UNP meeting as he does not have a right to engage in politics.
Also, he was introduced at the said meeting in Kuliyapitiya on 10 March as the UNP’s national organizer.
Can he hold a political party position while being a staff level officer of the government? Ruhunage asks in his complaint.
At this meeting, president Ranil Wickremesinghe promised to double ‘Aswesuma’ benefits.
Giving a promise at a political meeting over a welfare programme being carried out at state expense amounts to a misuse of state funds, Ruhunage adds.
With local government polls announced and the UNP handing in nominations, the said meeting effectively took place during the period of an election.
Ruhunage has asked the Election Commission to inquire into his complaint and take action against Ratnayake.
In a written response on 25 April to his complaint, the commission said the matter has been referred to the secretary of the ministry of public administration by letter dated 03 April.
