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The Colombo Magistrate’s Court yesterday ordered the Fraud Investigation Bureau (FIB) to conduct investigations into the candidates and their representatives who did not submit proper expense reports under the Election Expenditure Regulation Act in the Presidential Election held on September 21, 2024 and to report the progress to Court.
Colombo Additional Magistrate Manjula Ratnayake made this order after considering facts presented by the FIB regarding seven complaints filed by the Election Commission for non compliance with the Election Expenditure Act.
The FIB was also ordered by the Colombo Magistrate’s Court to submit the progress report regarding the matter on March 14, 2025.
When the matter was taken up before Colombo Magistrate’s Court, the FIB informed Court that under the Regulations of Election Expenditure Act No.03 of 2023, all candidates and their representatives were required to submit detailed reports regarding their expenses related to the election to the Election Commission by October 13, 2024.
The FIB further informed the Court that the Election Commission had complained that some candidates who contested for the Presidential Election 2024 and their representatives are yet to submit their election-related expenses reports to the Election Commission.
After considering the facts, the FIB was ordered to conduct an investigation into the matter and produce a progress report regarding the investigation by the Colombo Magistrate’s Court.
Dilshan Tharaka
