Foreign Counting Agents
Wednesday, 10 March 2010 01:04
By Kelum Bandara
The UNP said yesterday that they would request Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake to deploy foreign election monitors to the counting centres at this general election.
Addressing a press conference,
UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake said that his party was concerned about possible election malpractices at this election, and therefore the presence of foreign monitors would be important.
Mr. Attanayake said that the party would launch its election manifesto on March 16 outlining fresh measures to bring down the cost of living.
Meanwhile, UNP MP Dayasiri Jayasekara told Parliament during the debate on the extension of the state of emergency that the election authorities had planned to import paper from India to print ballot papers.
“We need more paper this time because ballot papers are slated to be longer than ever given the large number of parties and independent groups contesting the election.
“However, we fear whether the government will produce bogus ballot papers to commit election frauds. They might try to get a two-third majority through such an exercise. Therefore, we ask the Election Commissioner to ensure transparency in the import of paper to print ballot papers,” Mr. Jayasekara said.
Wednesday, 10 March 2010 01:04
By Kelum Bandara
Addressing a press conference,
UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake said that his party was concerned about possible election malpractices at this election, and therefore the presence of foreign monitors would be important.
Mr. Attanayake said that the party would launch its election manifesto on March 16 outlining fresh measures to bring down the cost of living.
Meanwhile, UNP MP Dayasiri Jayasekara told Parliament during the debate on the extension of the state of emergency that the election authorities had planned to import paper from India to print ballot papers.
“We need more paper this time because ballot papers are slated to be longer than ever given the large number of parties and independent groups contesting the election.
“However, we fear whether the government will produce bogus ballot papers to commit election frauds. They might try to get a two-third majority through such an exercise. Therefore, we ask the Election Commissioner to ensure transparency in the import of paper to print ballot papers,” Mr. Jayasekara said.
