Karu questions EC on SF’s votes

4 March 2011 03:45 pm

United National Party (UNP) Deputy Leader Karu Jayasuriya has written to the Elections Commissioner asking him to reveal the results of the investigations into the incident where ballot papers marked in favour of presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka were found in a drain near the Ratnapura Technical College.

Mr. Jayasuriya said in his letter that though the elections department initially responded to this allegation sarcastically, later it was accepted as factual.  

He alleged that none of the previous elections had been conducted in an impartial manner as pointed out by election monitors and recalled how the instructions given by the Commissioner himself were callously and continuously disregarded during election time.
Mr. Jayasuriya said with the 17th Amendment to the Constitution now virtually repealed, it was the duty of the Commissioner to uphold the rights of individuals to exercise their franchise at elections independent of external influences.

He urged the Commissioner to inform the country before the March 17 local council elections as to what he would do with regard to the incident in Ratnapura during the presidential election. (Kelum Bandara)