Sovereignty of the people

Today 14 million voters will go to the polls to elect their sixth Executive President. Through their ballot they will choose a single individual who would be a repository of their sovereignty. Under the Constitution the President will exercise executive power on behalf of the people who constitute the supreme sovereign power.

The election therefore is a solemn occasion in which the people are called upon to decide. It is but natural that there should be the most conducive atmosphere for them to exercise their right of universal suffrage. That means peace and tranquillity should reign on the election day. Then only could the election be conducted in a free and fair manner.

Sri Lanka has a long history of conducting elections. They were free and fair except for a few occasions when a reign of terror prevailed in the country, particularly in 1989. The Year 2009 was a year of elections. All the elections conducted last year including those in the North and East were largely peaceful, free and fair. There is no reason to believe that today’s election would be otherwise.

The law enforcement officials as well as the Elections Commissioner and his staff have by now done everything in their power to conduct a free and fair poll. The Armed Forces too have been mobilized to assist the Police in maintaining law and order. Special arrangements have been made to ensure the security of the polling stations and their environs.

The Maha Sangha and other religious leaders as well as leaders of political parties have called upon the people to be calm and not fall into provocations. Though there was a spate of violent incidents in the run up to the polls they were sporadic and not widespread. Most complaints were exaggerated incidents of simple threat and intimidation. The main reason for a majority of such incidents was the breach of regulations with respect to the display of banners, cutouts etc. of candidates. It is a sad indictment on the political parties and their leaders that they could not discipline their somewhat unruly followers.

It must be admitted that the Police had done a good job in removing the bulk of such offensive election propaganda material.

A retrospective glance at previous elections would show that the main reason for violence at previous elections was the existence of armed Opposition groups and vigilantes. Now that the thirty-year-old war has stopped, the LTTE, the biggest armed group has been vanquished. Other Tamil militant groups had entered mainstream politics just like the JVP, which during the terror period even punished voters for casting their vote.

Incidentally, this is the first national election in which the voters in the entire country could exercise their vote. It is a historic occasion.

Whether Sri Lanka could continue progressing on the development track that it has entered, whether there would be political and social stability, whether the hard won territorial integrity and sovereignty could be preserved would depend on the outcome of the election. In short, whether the country could widen its democracy and fulfill the aspirations of the people, especially, the youth, would result from the outcome of the election.

It is necessary to act wisely in the interest of the country. The voters too have to put the country before self and not get swayed by emotions or personal agendas. Nor should they give in to intimidation and threats. Nor should pecuniary considerations be allowed to be the judge. They have to scrutinize the political programs and the track record of the candidates and decide which could deliver the best and which could guarantee stability and peace. It would be difficult to decide by propaganda alone.

Each and every voter should decide through his or her own experience and do what they think would be the best for the country and its future.