Posters, billboards and cutouts were inconspicuous by their absence in public realm. Apart from a few miniature posters, pasted on coconut trees or on desolate walls or in party offices, there were hardly any in public vicinity. 
You’re shocked, because you come from that part of the world where banners, cutouts and hoardings are considered the essentials before, during and after the polls, forget about wall graffiti.  Apparently, it’s not that the politicians or parties don’t consider those as effective advertising tools, but the election commission has banned everything from posters to billboards and cutouts to even small handouts of party propaganda, because they believe it would help reduce violence. If the local papers are to be believed, there is a reduction of skirmishes linked to posters—only 10 so far as opposed to more than 50 last time.

But that, though, hasn’t doused party workers’ enthusiasm. They stealthily go about the work after midnight, pasting posters all over the city before the policeman scrape it off in the morning. However, it could hurt only smaller parties and candidates who cannot afford commercials through radios and newspapers and who don’t have the reach through social media, which has emerged as the most vibrant tool for propagating agenda.

But as in India, political functions are pompously celebrated. On the third evening of the Test, to the west of the stadium, bordering the stadium bay, was United National Party’s campaign winding-up ceremony. From the makeshift shamiana, decked in the green and white party colours, gleamed out the face of President Ranil Wickramasinghe and other party totems. The gathering was partly distracted by Dinesh Chandimal’s exuberant batting, but soon they retuned themselves to the politician’s blaring rhetoric, clapping their hands like obedient children, propelling green and white coloured balloons and kites, which was a fleeting disruption to the batsmen.

Soon after the politician winded up his long winding speech, began the free-for-all musical show, which surprisingly catered to a wide range of musical sensibilities, beginning with popular Sinhala tracks and Bollywood chartbusters to 70s classic rock.

(newindianexpress.com)