Highest number of election-day incidents in recent polls cycles: Election monitors
Monday, 22 September 2014 00:00
-
- {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Election observers have noted that the highest number of election related complaints in recent elections had been registered on 20 September, when the Uva provincial poll kicked off.
The Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) said it received 21 complaints of election related violence including the use of firearms. These incidents were mainly reported from Bibile, Moneragala, Wellawaya, Bandarawela, Haputale and Wiyaluwa electorates and some of these demonstrated the impotence of the police before regional politicians, the monitors observed. “There were a number of supporters who had arrived from other parts of the country campaiging for several parties and these groups roamed Uva province in a large number of vehicles in the pre-election period. Even on the election day these groups held vehicle parades and conducted election propaganda activities. CaFFE observers reported that several politicians from other parts of the country also arrived near polling centres and attempted to influence voting, some of these interventions led to violent clashes,” the polls monitors said in their election day report. CaFFE said election day was far from free and fair due to these incidents, including the shots fired at the vehicle in which UNP Chief Ministerial candidate Harin Fernando’s father was travelling. CaFFE said UPFA candidate Anura Vidanagamage roamed Mahiyanganaya with 27 Defender Jeeps in a bid to intimidate voters. “Supporters of UPFA MP Uditha Lokubandara assaulted Sunil Shantha, the JVP polling agent in Yahalabella, Haputale after he objected to issuing a ballot paper for Malini Lokubandara, Uditha’s mother, who arrived at the polling centre without an accepted identification document. Lokubandara’s supporters assaulted Shantha after he left the polling centre and Shantha was admitted to the Diyathalawa hospital,” the monitors reported.
