Sri Lanka Presidential Election, 8 January 2015
Contributors: Commonwealth Observer Group
Series Title: Commonwealth Election Reports
Publication date: 30 April 2015
Size:
297mm x 210mm
ISBN: 978-1-84929-138-5
Pages: 36
The report of the Commonwealth Observer Group for Sri Lanka presidential election held on 8 January 2015. The group was chaired by Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, former president of the Republic of Guyana, and comprised eight eminent persons in total.
These were important elections in Sri Lanka as an incumbent president was seeking an unprecedented third term in office under a recent constitutional amendment. This was evidenced by the impressive voter turnout of 81.52 per cent on election day. The group found that the outcome of the election reflected the will of the people of Sri Lanka. However, an inadequate electoral and legal framework coupled with an unequal pre-electoral environment meant that the electoral contest did not comply with all the key benchmarks for democratic elections.
These were important elections in Sri Lanka as an incumbent president was seeking an unprecedented third term in office under a recent constitutional amendment. This was evidenced by the impressive voter turnout of 81.52 per cent on election day. The group found that the outcome of the election reflected the will of the people of Sri Lanka. However, an inadequate electoral and legal framework coupled with an unequal pre-electoral environment meant that the electoral contest did not comply with all the key benchmarks for democratic elections.
Contents
Letter of transmittal
1. Introduction
1.1 Terms of reference
1.2 Activities
2. Political Background
2.1 Legal considerations
2.2 Announcement of the polls
2.3 The opposition: The New Democratic Front
2.4 Significant crossovers
3. Electoral Framework and Election Administration
3.1 National legal framework and international and regional commitments
3.2 Electoral system
3.3 Election administration
3.4 Department of elections and commissioner of elections
3.5 Voter eligibility and registration
3.6 Candidate eligibility and nominations
3.7 Election offences and petitions
4. Campaign and Media Environment
4.1 Official campaign period
4.2 The campaign environment
4.3 The use of state resources
4.4 Violence
4.5 Campaign rally venues
4.6 Campaign material
4.7 Police response
4.8 Campaign finance
4.9 The role of domestic observer groups
4.10 The media and information environment
4.11 State media
5. Voting, Count and Results
5.1 Key procedures for opening and voting
5.2 Assessment of the opening and voting
5.3 Key procedures for counting and results tabulation
5.4 Assessment of the counting, results tabulation and transmission
5.5 Overview of observations by deployed teams
5.6 The results
6. Conclusion and Recommendations
6.1 Conclusions
6.2 Recommendations
Annex 1. Biographies of Commonwealth Observer Mission
Annex 2. Arrival Statement
Annex 3. Interim Statement
Annex 4. Deployment Plan
1. Introduction
1.1 Terms of reference
1.2 Activities
2. Political Background
2.1 Legal considerations
2.2 Announcement of the polls
2.3 The opposition: The New Democratic Front
2.4 Significant crossovers
3. Electoral Framework and Election Administration
3.1 National legal framework and international and regional commitments
3.2 Electoral system
3.3 Election administration
3.4 Department of elections and commissioner of elections
3.5 Voter eligibility and registration
3.6 Candidate eligibility and nominations
3.7 Election offences and petitions
4. Campaign and Media Environment
4.1 Official campaign period
4.2 The campaign environment
4.3 The use of state resources
4.4 Violence
4.5 Campaign rally venues
4.6 Campaign material
4.7 Police response
4.8 Campaign finance
4.9 The role of domestic observer groups
4.10 The media and information environment
4.11 State media
5. Voting, Count and Results
5.1 Key procedures for opening and voting
5.2 Assessment of the opening and voting
5.3 Key procedures for counting and results tabulation
5.4 Assessment of the counting, results tabulation and transmission
5.5 Overview of observations by deployed teams
5.6 The results
6. Conclusion and Recommendations
6.1 Conclusions
6.2 Recommendations
Annex 1. Biographies of Commonwealth Observer Mission
Annex 2. Arrival Statement
Annex 3. Interim Statement
Annex 4. Deployment Plan
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