Sri Lanka's army chief in controversy over election ad

Sri Lanka's election chief said Wednesday that he has asked for an explanation from the defense ministry on why the army commander features in an advertisement promoting a candidate for next month's presidential election.

The advertisement, which appeared in a newspaper last weekend, had comments made by Lt Gen Shavendra Silva, the current army chief, in 2009 praising presidential candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa for his role in ending the country's long civil war.

Rajapaksa was defence chief at the time, serving under his brother, then-President Mahinda Rajapaksa, and Silva was an army division commander. The advertisement includes a photo of Silva in uniform with his comments.

Election chief Mahinda Deshapriya criticised the advertisement and said he has sought an explanation from the secretary to the defence ministry on why the army chief was being used to promote a presidential candidate.

"We highly regret this advertisement," said Deshapriya, adding that "it could be an old statement, but it is regrettable that the rank and designation of the present army commander had been used."