‘Bandula’s statement on Rs.5,000 meaningless’

(FASTNEWS | COLOMBO) – Election monitoring body the Centre for Monitoring Election Violence says the statement by Co-Cabinet Spokesman Minister Bandula Gunawardana citing a letter by the Election Commission that led to the decision to suspend the Rs.5,000 grant for the month of June, is meaningless.

National Coordinator Manjula Gajanayake said the government has had many an opportunity to bow to requests by the Election Commission previously, but to no avail.

Gajanayake said the Election Commission did not inform the government to stop the distribution of the Rs.5,000.

He claimed Minister Gunawardana could have made such a statement due to the lack of funds or due to a misinterpretation of the letter by the Election Commission.