Polls Chief warns against threatening his officials

Tuesday, 6 January 2015 02:29 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya yesterday warned thugs who threatened his officials, saying they will not be successful in attempts to intimidate the elections department. Deshapriya said that it was not new to see thuggery being used at an election and that similar incidents had taken place even during past polls. He said that people accused him of not taking action over an incident where two election officers were assaulted in Trincomalee. “Am I to go and assault them or stage a protest? We have filed a police complaint and the police have arrested the suspects,” he said.

He said that election officers only become stronger at times like this and are not shaken by threats or assaults. Deshapriya said that his department will continue to implement election laws and if one of their officers is assaulted they will send two officers to that location. His reaction came after two election officers were assaulted last evening allegedly by supporters of the Deputy Minister of Economic Development, Susantha Punchinilame in Trincomalee. The incident occurred in front of the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) party office in Mattakkalli Junction, Trincomalee, the Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) said. Deputy Election Commissioner in the area, Sajith Welgama, had said that he was on his way from Mahadivulwewa after shutting down an unauthorised UPFA party office. He had ordered his colleagues to remove all types of election material such as cut-outs and posters of President Mahinda Rajapaksa which were put up inside the Morawewa Buddhist Temple premises. When he arrived at the UPFA party office in Mattakkalli, there was a movie in favour of Mahinda Rajapaksa being shown to the public in front of that office. Subsequently, he had requested that the movie not be displayed outside the office and instead be shown inside it. It was at this point that the supporters of Deputy Minister Punchinilame assaulted two election officers who had accompanied Welgama. There had also been a power cut when this attack had taken place. (Colombo Gazette)