The United National Front yesterday requested Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake to appoint a Competent Authority to monitor the government controlled media during the Presidential Election campaign.

Deputy Leader of the UNP Karu Jayasuriya said, at a news conference in Colombo, that the State media was violating all norms of independent reporting and needs to be checked.

"We request the Elections Commissioner to appoint a Competent Authority, who can ensure that the government controlled media gives equal coverage to all candidates contesting the Presidential Poll. The character assassination of our common candidate General Sarath Fonseka should be halted," he said. "We also appeal to the Commissioner to ensure that UPFA politicians, including Hudson Samarasinghe and Sudarman Radaliyagoda, are not given control of electronic media news dissemination, until the election is over.

Jayasuriya said that in the absence of independent Elections, Police and Public Service Commissions, which President Mahinda Rajapaksa had failed to establish, despite being duty bound to do so,the Commissioner has to ensure that laws governing the conduct of polls, are implemented to the letter.

"Mr. Dissanayake has our confidence and we expect him to act firmly, to safeguard the interests of all political parties. He should see to it that public servants, including police officers, actively supporting the UPFA, are not given election responsibilities," Jayasuriya said. "We also urge him to disregard the so called identity cards provided to Samurdhi Officers and some Principals by the government."