Election Commission imposes spending caps for Parliamentary Candidates

By: Isuru Parakrama

October 17, Colombo (LNW): The Election Commission of Sri Lanka has introduced spending limits for candidates contesting the upcoming Parliamentary elections, establishing clear financial boundaries to ensure fair competition.

These regulations aim to control campaign expenditure and promote transparency in the electoral process.

Under the new guidelines, the allowable campaign spending for individual candidates ranges between Rs. 1.7 million and Rs. 5.7 million, depending on the district in which they are contesting.

Candidates running for a seat on the national list, however, face a significantly lower spending cap, with permissible amounts varying between Rs. 6,200 and Rs. 53,600.

Political parties and independent groups participating in the General Election have also been given specific financial limits.

The maximum expenditure permitted for such entities ranges from Rs. 9.9 million to Rs. 81.7 million, based on the size and scope of their campaigns.