DailyMirror
Polls monitors said yesterday that the re-polls in Nawalapitiya and Trincomalee were peaceful and free of violence. People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) said the poll was peaceful. Its Executive Director Rohana Hettiarachchi said the election was conducted under a strong police presence from the Special Task Force.
He said one senior police officer was deployed to oversee five police stations — which was a positive thing.
Mr. Hettiarachchi said the only untoward incident was where a person was seen with a sample ballot paper in his hand.
He said PAFFREL had met party leaders in the areas and discussed the situation.
According to PAFFREL the voter turnout in Trincomalee was 46 percent and in Nawalapitiya 50 to 60 percent.
The Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE), too, said that yesterday’s re-poll was peaceful and free of violence.
“Election activities in re polling areas were conducted peacefully during this election. In addition to this the observance of election laws — which had been ignored earlier — was visibly a key characteristic during this pre election period, said CaFFE in a statement yesterday
However, CaFFE noted that there were indications of the psychological intimidation of voters.
A huge contingent of police and STF personnel had been deployed in Nawalapitiya. For this reason there were hardly any reports regarding the presence of sinister political gangs or intimidation in the area. However, CaFFE monitors had observed that some political party supporters were travelling around the area in unmarked vehicles without registration numbers..
CaFFE had also received a report of intimidation from the Bercapel Estate Government School polling centre in Westhall, Nawalapititya. Mr. R. Ronganadan, a UPFA election polling agent, had been threatened by a man described as an underworld character called “Kalawedda”. CaFFE observers noted that this same man had been seen threatening and intimidating polling agents during the earlier (annulled) poll in this area.
CaFFE observers noted that the Nawalapitiya Urban Council Double Cab vehicle — which had been used by the gang who had illegally seized polling cards from voters during the previous, annulled, poll at the Anurudhdha College polling centre — was parked in the same vicinity, during the re poll yesterday. In addition to this, CaFFE said, a number of voters had been prevented from voting because they had not received their polling cards. This was evident in the Bercpal, Bavvugama, Nawalapitiya Central School Hall numbers 1 and 2, Giraulla, Kadireishan Kumar School, Hairdi Junior School and Palpitiya Polling Centres.
Poll in Nawalapitiya peaceful – police
Kandy Returning Officer, Gotabhaya Jayaratne said yesterday that seven minor incidents were reported from Nawalapitiya. Except for that the re-poll in the area had been peaceful according to police reports.
On the whole, he said, the election had been conducted in a peaceful manner.
A person who had attempted to impersonate another at the polling centre of Kurunduwatta, Nawalapitiya had been arrested by a police officer on duty at the centre.
When asked about the incident, Mr. Jayaratne said the matter had been handed over to the police for investigation.