New regulations to cap Presidential Campaign expenditure announced

August 20, Colombo (LNW): The Election Commission is set to issue a Gazette notification outlining a limit on campaign spending per voter for the upcoming presidential election.

According to Commissioner General of Elections Saman Sri Ratnayake, candidates will be restricted to a maximum expenditure of Rs. 109 per voter.

The introduction of this cap is part of broader campaign finance reforms aimed at ensuring fairer elections.

These regulations will apply to all future national elections, imposing stricter limits on campaign spending for candidates, political parties, and independent groups.

In preparation for the presidential election, the Election Commission has held consultations with various stakeholders to discuss the new legislation.

The objective was to determine the spending limit and establish a framework for effective implementation, drawing on feedback and recommendations from these discussions.

This marks a significant step towards more transparent and regulated election campaigns in Sri Lanka, aligning with global standards on campaign finance governance.