Ballot papers found in garbage pit

By Mahinda Nissanka

A special team headed by a Deputy Elections Commissioner has been appointed by the Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake to probe into an incident where 64 ballot papers were recovered in a garbage pit in the Ratnapura Technical College premises.

It has been reported the newly appointed Deputy Elections Commissioner had already headed to Ratnapura with his team.

The Elections Commissioner had stated that necessary action would be taken against the officers who were on duty at the polling station if the allegations were proved.

The allegation was made public by the Ratnapura District UNP Parliamentarian Thalatha Athukorala after she had informed the media that some of her supporters had come to her with the half-burnt ballot papers.

She allegedly claimed that the ballot papers were marked in favour of opposition common presidential candidate General Sarath Fonseka.