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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ahamednishadh" data-source="post: 2023412" data-attributes="member: 4368">news from lankadissentthe fllowing are news items that appeared on the lankadissent website upto now.=========================================Pillayan controls outer-B'caloa - CAFFE       [2008-05-10 4.25pm] The Pillayan-led TMVP has practically seized control of Batticaloa in areas outside the municipality and was engaged in large-scale vote rigging, the Campaign for Free and Fair Elections says.The group had threatened voters and snatched official poll cards of several voters at Kiliveddi and was forcibly bringing voters to polling centres in Pattirippu, CAFFE said.The local poll monitor said the law enforcement authorities have not taken any measure to prevent these incidents.The TMVP has also threatened a senior election official at Kalladi, and ordered him against allowing any voting from taking place after noon.Meanwhile, the LTTE-controlled Panduwankeri has so far reported only 15 people exercising their franchise, CAFFE said.In most polling centres of Batticaloa, the UNP had no representation, after 14 of the agents were arrested and are being detained by the Kattankudi Police.The reason for their arrest has not been made known, Nizbar Saffar of the UNP lawyers association said.The UPFA's Batticaloa coordinator Siripala Amarasinghe told 'Lanka Dissent' that the district has reported no violent incidents today, with voting underway peacefully and a 50 per cent turnout.By 2.00 pm, nearly 35 pc voted within the municipality area, while the outstations reported the figure to be more than 50 pc, UNP MP Sagala Ratnayake said.Contacted by 'Lanka Dissent' he said no serious violent incidents have been reported from Batticaloa.However, massive vote rigging was taking place outside the municipality area, he added.===================================================Govt. thugs denying Muslims' voting right - Hakeem       [2008-05-10 4.45pm] SLMC leader and chief ministerial candidate Rauff Hakeem says groups of thugs in the employ of several government ministers are terrorizing areas with a decisive Muslim voter base.He told 'Lanka Dissent' a short while ago that the government was trying to prevent votes being cast to the SLMC in Mutur, Thambalagamuwa, Thoppur, Jinnarnagar, Asathnagar and Irakkandy areas.Despite complaints by the party and himself that more than 200 thugs are terrorizing the district, police have not taken any action, Mr. Hakeem said.===================================================People identify 14 vehicles used for poll malpractices       [2008-05-10 5.10pm] People of Puduwakkattu in Kuchchiweli have identified 14 vehicles that have been used for election malpractices in the Thiriyaya area.These vans and buses had arrived in the area around midnight yesterday (May 09th), and some of are still said to be there.They bear the numbers WPPB 0537 van, 53-8133, WPG 0880 jeep with a garage number, PA 7991, 58-4858, PA 5389, GX 3372, HM 9787, HJ 6988, HR 9986, JV 6799, JA 3273 Tata bus, HP 3926 and 53-1139.The same vehicles were chased away by the people of Puduwakkatu.===================================================Group led by Minister attacks UNP MP's supporters       [2008-05-10 3.30pm] A group accompanied by Minister Risath Bathiudeen has attacked supporters and a vehicle of UNP MP Gayantha Karunatilake.According to reports, the incident occurred at Kinniya in Trincomalee.Several supporters of the parliamentarian were injured in the assault.===================================================24 - 50 pc turnout in Trincomalee       [2008-05-10 4.05pm] The Trincomalee district has returned a turnout of between 24 and 50 per cent so far in elections for the Eastern Provincial Council.The highest voting of 50 per cent has been reported from Muttur.Verugalaru had 48 pc of voters already casting their voters, while the figure for Trincomalee town is 42 per cent.Both Kinniya and Pattirippu had a 40 per cent turnover.Kuchchaveli reported 39 pc of voting, while Kantale and Morawewa had respective 36 pc and 35 pc turnouts so far.===================================================UNP alleges 80 vote-riggings       [2008-05-10 3.20pm] The UNP has alleged that the UPFA and the armed TMVP have rigged votes at 80 polling centres on Election Day in the east so far.The party said it has lodged a complaint in this regard with the Commissioner of Elections.According to the UNP, most of the incidents have been reported from Batticaloa and Trincomalee districts.In Ampara, several government ministers were responsible for perpetrating poll malpractices, the party added.===================================================Thugs of 2 ministers arrested for attempted vote rigging       [2008-05-10 12.55pm] Police Special Task Force commandos arrested Minister Mervyn Silva's son Malaka Silva and coordinating secretary identified as 'Kudu Lal' at a polling station at Dehiattakandiya in Digamadulla district today (May 10th).The two, accompanied by several persons, had tried to rig votes at the Bambarawana Central College polling centre, Consultant for the Campaign for Free and Fair Elections Shiral Laktilake told 'Lanka Dissent.Still in Dehiattakandiya, police apprehended an armed group that was accompanying the bodyguards of Minister Premalal Jayasekara on similar charges.The UNP's Election Incidents Monitoring Unit said the group had arrived in vehicles JF-3114, KD-3787 and 32-3387.They were arrested by SP Samarasekara, it added.===================================================East votes to elect 37 representatives       [2008-05-10 12.40pm] More than 982,000 voters in the east go to polls today (May 10th) to elect representatives to their provincial council.Polling began at 1,070 polling centers at 7.00 am and will continue until 4.00 pm.A total of 1,342 candidates from 18 recognized political parties and 56 independent groups is vying for 37 seats in the PC.Under the 1987 Indo-Lanka Pact, provincial councils were established in accordance with the 13th amendment to the Constitution and the north and the east existed as a one province for the next 20 years.Following a Supreme Court order in 2007, the north and the east came into existence as separate provinces.In Trincomalee, 36.7 per cent of the population comprises Tamils, followed by 33.4 per cent Sinhalese and 29.3 per cent Muslims.Batticaloa has 72 per cent of Tamils, 23.9 per cent Muslims and 3.4 per cent Sinhalese.The composition of Digamadulla is 41.5 per cent of Sinhalese, 37.8 per cent of Sinhalese and 20.4 per cent of Tamils.Digamadulla will have 14 councilors, followed by 11 for Batticaloa and 10 for Trincomalee.The party or the independent group that emerges the winner will collect two bonus seats.Since the day campaigning began, the province was infested with violence.Around 4,000 local and foreign observers are monitoring the polls.The government has deployed a 16,000-strong election staff, while 32,000 police and security forces personnel are maintaining law and order for the polls.The Police Elections Bureau says 226 polling centres that have been identified as especially vulnerable to violence and malpractices, have been given added security.The Elections Secretariat hopes to release the first postal voting result before midnight, followed by the first vote result around 1.00 am tomorrow.</blockquote>

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