Well Guys. The eastern provincial council election is over now and the counting of votes have been started.
Its time to debate about it now. Do you guys think that this election was free and fair and there were no serious problems during the election???
From morning today i was checking the dailymirror.lk site and there have been many news items saying that there were many violations going around. Do u think they are true?? And also around an hour ago there was a news item saying that the Centre for Monitoring Election Violence is to request the commissioner to do a re-poll in some areas so there seems to have been some violence going on around ne??
What do u guys think about it?? Share your views!!
Its time to debate about it now. Do you guys think that this election was free and fair and there were no serious problems during the election???
From morning today i was checking the dailymirror.lk site and there have been many news items saying that there were many violations going around. Do u think they are true?? And also around an hour ago there was a news item saying that the Centre for Monitoring Election Violence is to request the commissioner to do a re-poll in some areas so there seems to have been some violence going on around ne??
What do u guys think about it?? Share your views!!
following are the news items that appeared in the dailymirror.lk site today upto now regarding the elections. ill post some more news from other sites as soon as possible.
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Voting begins in the East
Voting at the Eastern provincial council elections commenced this morning. Our reporter in Batticaloa said that voters had already turned up to cast their ballot at polling centers in the district.
Minister’s goons unleash violence in Thiriyaya
Goons of a government minister had gone and assaulted the villages, including women in Thiriyaya in Trincomalee last night, UNP alleged this morning adding that it would question the Navy as to how it allowed these armed group to go through two ferry points to go to Thiriyaya.
UPFA Premaratne still campaigning
Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) says UPFA candidate for Ampara district Shantha Premaratine has flouted election laws by campaigning even on the election day.
TMVP collecting polling cards in Kaludaweli – PLOTE
PLOTE alleges that TMVP cadres had been collecting polling cards from the voters in Kaludaweli in Padirippu, Batticaloa.
Polling officer asked by TMVP to block voters after noon
The Centre for Monitoring Election Violence has received a complaint by a senior polling officer in Kallady in Batticaloa saying he has been informed by the TMVP that no voters should be allowed after 12noon.
Pillayan casts his vote
TMVP leader and UPFA Chief Ministerial candidate Pillayan cast his ballot at Vipulananda Vidayala in Peththalai polling division in Valachchenai, while ago.
UPFA men in jeeps taken into custody
Dehiattakandiya police had arrested UPFA activists along with their jeeps bearing numbers WPKD 378, 32-3381 and JF 3114 in Wevugama in Dehiattakandiya after they threatened voters and robbed their polling cards.
Access restricted to some election monitors
The Center for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) says two of its election monitors were refused entry to some polling stations in Trincomalee and were taken in for questioning by the police.
Men of Baiz and Rishard on rampage in Mutur – SLMC
SLMC leader Rauff Hakeem has lodged a complaint with Elections Commissioner while ago that goons of Ministers Rishard badurdeen and K.A. Baiz have assaulted voters including elderly women in Thaha Nagar, Pala Nagar and Nadithivu areas in Mutur who have come to the polling booths. A tense atmosphere prevails in Mutur as voters are forced to stay indoors due to violence.
New SP for Mutur missing – UNP
A new Superintendent of Police has been sent to Mutur area yesterday and UNP alleges that he is yet to switch on his mobile for today and as a result there is nobody to looking into the gross election violations in the area. “The government has deliberately made the move so that there wouldn’t be anybody to check violence created by goons backed by ministers” alleges UNP.
20% of votes cast so far
20% of the registered votes for the provincial council polls in the east were cast as of 12noon. Meanwhile PAFFREL says there were incidents of voter intimidation in several parts of the east.
16 complaints to CMEV by noon
The Centre for Monitor Election Violence (CMEV) has received 16 complaints of election malpractices including nine serious incidents by noon. The incidents include snatching polling cards and stuffing ballot boxes.
Two vehicles of Rishard’s staff smashed up by voters
Voters in Kuchchaveli in Trincomalee had smashed up two vehicles belong to the staff of Minister Rishard Badurdeen when they attempted to unleash violence at a polling booth. The minister’s team has been led by one Ali Khan.
Series malpractices at 80 polling booths - UNP
The UNP has informed Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake that there had been serious cases of election malpractices at 80 polling booths in Ampara, Trincomalee and Batticaloa districts by noon.
Election is free and fair – Anura Yapa
Media Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa said that no major incident that would affect the final results of the Eastern provincial polls has been reported so far though various allegations have been made by the UNP. He said that the election is being conducted peacefully.
29 cases reported by 2 pm - CMEV
The number of cases of election violence has increased up to 29 by 2 pm, according to the Center for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV). Thirteen cases have been reported from Batticaloa, 11 from Ampara and five from Trincomalee. Among these malpractices, 20 are considered serious ones.
UNP candidate arrested and later released
A UNP candidate for Ampara district K.M. Razak was arrested by Kalmunai police today for alleged harassment of a UPFA candidate. However later he has been released.
TMVP stuffs ballot boxes in Vakarai - UNP
TMVP activists stuffed the ballot boxes at Wattawan Polling booth in Vakarai while ago, UNP parliamentarian Ranjith Aluvihare who is overseeing the area for UNP said.
Vehicles of Ravi K and Gayantha damaged
The vehicles of UNP MPs Ravi Karunanayake and Gayantha Karunatilake have been attacked today allegedly by goons brought by a government minister in Trincomalee.
TMVP does it again and again - CMEV
The CMEV says TMVP supporters at Polling Station 52, AK/Thambiluvil Central Collage had removed voter ink from their fingers and returned to vote repeatedly with new Polling cards. The TMVP office is located right next to the Polling Station and no Polling Agents of the other political parties were present inside the Polling Station.
Baiz in Thaqwa Nagar trying to break boxes - UNP
Minister K.M. Baiz has forcibly entered a polling booth in Thaqwa Nagar, Mutur while ago and is threatening break the ballot boxes, UNP alleges.
No rigging by TMVP - Susil
Education Minister Susil Premajayantha who is overseeing election activities in the Batticaloa district said that the election was conducted peacefully in the district without any major incident. He denied allegations of election malpractices by the TMVP.
Govt failed to hold free and fair poll in East - JVP
The JVP says government failed to ensure the democratic right of Eastern people to elect their representatives freely. JVP strongman Anura Kumara Dissanayake said the government never tried to hold a free and fair poll in the East from the beginning.
After Pillayan’s vote stuffing by cadres - UNP
Around 3.40 pm a group of TMVP cadres had forcibly entered the polling booth in Vipulananda Vidyalaya in Pethalai, Valachchenai where TMVP leader Pillayan cast his ballot this morning, and stuffed the ballot boxes, UNP alleges.
Monitors want re-poll in many places
Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) is planning to make a request from Elections Commissioner to ask for a re-poll in several areas including several booths in Aladivembu and Thirukkovil areas in Ampara.
