In what seems to be a firm decision, Commissioner of Elections, Dayananda Dissanayake had decided to hold investigations against 20 officials who did not follow his instructions during the postal voting.
Elections Department therefore had decided to hold disciplinary inquiries against 20 officials who failed in implementing the election laws in connection with the irregularities reported at some of the Postal Polling Centres.
Advised by the Commissioner of Elections – Dayananda Dissanayake, the District Returning Officers shall be conducting the investigations. The Commissioner had given strict instructions to take disciplinary action against those certifying officers who shall be found guilty.
Marking Postal Votes was held on January 12 and 13 at 15,000 such centres and the Heads of such Offices or Executives nominated had been assigned to serve as the Certifying Officers. Elections Commissioner’s office had received complaints about lapses on the part of Certifying Officers.
Display of banners and posters in and around such polling centres, refusal to permit party representatives, representatives of election monitoring agencies, encouraging impersonation, demanding display of marked ballot papers and undue influence on voters are the allegations levelled against the Certifying Officers.