Federation of Three-Wheeler Employers requests Polls Chief include ‘objected’ in ballot paper

The Lanka National Federation of Three-Wheeler Employers (LNFTE) has requested the Commissioner of Elections to include the word ‘objected’ in the ballot paper to secure the right of voters to show protest against unsuitable candidates in their respective local government areas.

LNFTE President Sunil Jayawardena said that over 900,000 including 225,000 members and their family members would avoid casting their votes on 10 February as a protest against parties which have fielded candidates with criminal records.

He said that the decision was taken by the LNFTE committee which met last week and they have written to the Commissioner of Elections to give their right as voters to state that they had objected to electing candidates who are unsuitable to represent the people.

 “If we wait without casting votes, they will be counted as rejected votes but we want to show that we have avoided casting votes on the ballot paper by marking ‘objected’, to show our protest to the respective candidates. When the election results are announced, it should be announced separately as ‘objected’ votes,” Jayawardena told the Daily FT. A few weeks ago, the LNFTE accused that nearly 65% of candidates who have been given nominations to contest in local government bodies in the country have criminal records, and over 51 candidates who were given nomination in the Western Province are drug dealers, underworld kingpins and illegal liquor sellers.

Jayawardena said that the LNFTE would hold a press conference tomorrow in Colombo to announce the names of those candidates with criminal records and also those who get help from underworld kingpins in their election campaigns.