MPs give evidence on N’pitiya

28 April 2010 07:51 am

By Jamila Najmuddin


The committee investigating the Nawalapitiya incidents recorded statements from UPFA candidates in the Kandy district and will record further statements from ‘outside parties’ today before handing over a report to President Mahinda Rajapaksa, government sources told Daily Mirror online.

According to government sources, gathering of evidence over the incidents which led to the re-poll of the General Elections in Nawalapitiya will end today afterwhich a detailed report will be submitted to President Mahinda Rajapakse upon his arrival to the island after his Bhutan visit for the SAARC summit.

The candidates whose statements have been recorded are Keheliya Rambukwella, S.B. Dissanayake and Mahindananda Aluthgamage.

According to government sources, President Rajapakse has already informed the candidates that those found guilty over the Nawalapitiya election related incidents will not be given a post in his new cabinet.

“The President has already informed the candidates that those found guilty will not be given a portfolio. The President has been angered over the Nawalapitiya incident and says that inter party fighting amongst his UPFA candidates during the election campaigning had been a disgrace to the government and disgusting,” government sources said.

Disciplinary action is also expected to be taken against the candidates involved in the violence which led to a re-poll.

Attorney-at-law W. Karunajeeva chairs the committee proceedings and other members of the committee are lawyers Champani Padmasekara, Saliya Mathew, Chandra Fernando and Professor Rohana Lakshman Piyadasa.

Meanwhile atleast one UPFA candidate from the Kandy district is expected to file legal action against Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayaka for cancelling the first poll in Nawalapitiya over claims of violence and malpractices, Daily Mirror online has learnt.

The MP is of the opinion that cancelling the poll and calling for a re-poll in the area was "unfair" and was a result of misleading information. (Daily Mirror online)