DailyMirror
The People’s Action For Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) urged parties to make their selections among candidates who are law abiding citizens and people about whom allegations and rumours of lawlessness have not been aimed at.
In a press release yesterday they suggested that the ideal candidate should be a respectable and exemplary individual who has risen in esteem among the general populace.
PAFFREL urged political party leaders of Sri Lanka to consider the candidates they are allowing to run under their banners very carefully. According to them, he or she should have the ability to uphold the law as well as obey and respect it and must not, under any circumstance, be involved in any venture that undermines the law. This also suggests that the ideal candidate should neither be involved nor have been involved in illegal businesses nor should he/she have profited from these illegal ventures.
Candidates should be able to publicly declare their earnings and wealth without delay and falsification.
Further, the party should be able to say that none of its members are directly or indirectly involved in intimidation, thuggery and voter manipulation of any sort and the members themselves should be able to stand on a public platform and express these views.
PAFFREL also urged parties to select candidates who are extremely sensitive to the needs of their electorate; especially the weak, disabled and disenfranchised. He or she should be sensitive to the cultural, linguistic, religious and lifestyle needs of the populace.