Tuesday, 30 July 2013 11:17
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Hand over official vehicles: Elections Secretariat orders provincial ministers
All former Chief Ministers and Ministers of the Central and North Western Provinces have been ordered to return their official vehicles before 31 July following complaints that the State resources were being utilised for election campaigns, the Elections Secretariat said yesterday.
A circular was issued on Sunday (28) ordering the provincial ministers to hand official vehicles and residences over to the Chief Secretary of the relevant council by the end of this month. The Elections Secretariat said that the circular was issued after complaints were received that the State property was being used to promote parties and candidates.
Protest in front of Indian HC to mark Indo-Lanka Accord Anniversary
A protest led by the National Freedom Front was held in front of the Indian High Commission in Colombo yesterday to mark the 26th anniversary of the now controversial Indo-Lanka Accord. The National Collective Organisation spearheaded by Minister Wimal Weerawansa’s NFF commenced a sit-in in front of the Indian mission at 9 a.m. yesterday.
Heavy traffic was reported on the Galle Road as a result of the sit-in. Protesters called for New Delhi to stop pushing Colombo to implement the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. They called for a complete repeal of the 13th Amendment by the Government.
SLFP in pieces before Wayamba poll: UNP
Battle lines have been drawn within the ruling coalition in the North Western Province even before the polling date has been announced, the main opposition United National Party charged yesterday.
Addressing a press conference, UNP Spokesman Gayantha Karunathilake said that the UPFA’s former Wayamba Chief Minister Athula Wijesinghe had already claimed there was a conspiracy afoot to destroy the SLFP.
“The SLFP is already in pieces with factions having been created even before nominations are given,” he said.
Karunathilake said that the former Chief Minister and certain ministers’ sons were counting the days till the nominations process was complete to unleash campaigns against their opponents within the SLFP.
“The SLFP seniors are now no more than rampe or curry leaves,” he said, charging that the crossovers from other parties were deeply upsetting the SLFP core within the ruling alliance. The Government was enforcing crossovers in order to cover up their deficiencies, he added.
Govt. confident Dayasiri will boost Wayamba chances
The ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) is confident former UNP MP Dayasiri Jayasekera will add strength to the provincial council election campaign of the Government.
Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said that Jayasekera had the support of the public in his electorate and that was shown when he garnered the most number of votes at the last General Elections from the Kurunegala District.
“Dayasiri stepped down from Parliament and is contesting for the provincial council after accepting the Mahinda Chinthanaya. We are confident he will add strength to the campaign. He has the blessings of the people. As someone who is with the people, we think that is a good thing,” he said. He also said that the nominations board decided on the final list of candidates who will contest for the provincial council elections in September.
Nomination process continues
Seven political parties and 15 independent groups had submitted their nomination lists for the North, North Western and Central Provincial Council elections by noon yesterday, the Elections Commission confirmed. ITAK, the party under which the Tamil National Alliance is contesting, handed over its nominations for the Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mannar and Vavuniya Districts yesterday. The UPFA, UNP, SLMC and JVP are still in the process of preparing their lists for handing over. They are expected to hand over their nomination lists within the next two days.
Wiggie and TNA delegation hand over nominations for Northern election
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) handed over its nomination papers for the Northern Provincial Council elections yesterday.
TNA Chief Ministerial candidate for the northern polls C.V. Wigneswaran and a TNA delegation handed over their nomination papers for the Jaffna district at the Jaffna District Secretariat.
TNA General Secretary Mavai Senathirajah, TNA MP Suresh Premachandran and TNA MP M.A. Sumanthiran were among those who accompanied Wigneswaran to hand over the nomination papers.
The wife of former LTTE Trincomalee District political head Elilan, has been included in the list of candidates by the TNA for the Northern Provincial Council elections from the Jaffna district. Others contesting from Jaffna under the TNA ticket are PLOTE leader Darmalingam Sidharthan and M.K. Sivajilingham.
The TNA filed its nomination papers in the other districts in the north as well today. A Muslim candidate has been included in the TNA list for the Mannar District. (Colombo Gazette)
Planter hacking: 9 suspects subject to ID parade
Nine suspects out of 21 arrested in connection with the murder an estate superintendent in Deraniyagala recently were subject to an identification parade at the Awissawella Magistrate Court yesterday.
The identification parade included the former Deraniyagala PS Chairman Anil Champika Wijesinghe, alias ‘Atha Kota’, who has been implicated in this and other major atrocities in the area, according to residents.
The rest of the suspects will be presented to court today and tomorrow by order of the Magistrate.
The Superintendent of the Noori Estate Nihal Perera was hacked to death in Deraniyagala on July 5. Dereniyagala residents have called for a STF camp to be set up in the area to arrest the crime wave, because they no longer had faith in the independence of the police in the area.
