Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya on Saturday(27) warned civil servants that they will face fines and three years in prison for failing to ensure a free and fair parliamentary election announced for August. 

Addressing a media briefing Deshapriya stated that he was given wide powers under a recent statute to deal with civil servants who violated elections laws and favoured candidates. 

"I have powers now to jail public servants for a period of three years and also fine them up to Rs.100,000" Deshapriya told.

He said the formal election period will begin from July 6 and warned that the government cannot make any politically-motivated transfers of civil servants until after the vote on August 17.

Almost all previous elections have been marred by allegations that state officials colluded with the party in power to give them an undue advantage at the polls. 

Independent poll monitors have also reported large scale abuse of state vehicles and other resources to boost the campaign of the party in power. At the previous national vote, the presidential poll in January, Deshapriya ordered police to" shoot in the head" and kill anyone trying to disrupt elections. 

(With inputs from The Economic Times)