The SLMC, a party supporting Presidential Candidate Gen. Sarath Fonseka, said yesterday that their Mannar Polling Division Agent Abdul Hudha had been arrested without any valid reason.

Party’ Deputy General Secretary Nizam Kariapper told Daily Mirror yesterday that Mr. Hudha has been assigned to organize Gen. Fonseka’s election rally in Mannar on Saturday, and as a result there appears to be a political reason behind his arrest.

“During the early hours of the day, we knew that our member has been abducted. Then, we made inquiries from the police. Initially, the police appeared clueless   of the incident. Later, we were informed that Mr. Hudha had been taken into custody by the Terrorist Investigation Division and brought to Colombo,” Mr. Kariapper said. (Read More)

Addressing a news conference in Colombo, he said that Wimal Weerawansa had jumped the gun and was offering to debate General Fonseka. "This shows that Mr. Weerawansa has got too big for his boots and believes he is on par with a great General such as Sarath Fonseka. But can you equate a pig with a lion?" (Read More)

Vigneswaran in an interview with the Tamil daily, The Sudaroli, yesterday said that fielding a common Tamil candidate or boycotting the election would be tantamount to giving up their democratic rights.

He cited how late Saumyamoorthy Thondaman had used the plantation strike as a weapon to win the rights of his community and Muslim leaders used the influence of affluent Muslim countries to win the rights of their community.  (Read More)

The dissidents were former Sabaragamuwa Chief Minister Jayatillake Podinilame, Kegalle Urban Council Chairman Jude Rukantha Perera and former Pradeshya Sabha Chairman N. Rupasena.

Addressing a news conference in Colombo, the three members said that they have not left the UNP, but would support Rajapaksa’s candidature.  (Read More)

No other candidate contesting the forthcoming Presidential Election has the political experience of President Mahinda Rajapaksa which spans four decades. During that time he had been jailed on cooked up charges but he led the protest march Paada Yaatra to protest against a regime during 1988-90 that others feared to oppose when thousands of youth were being killed, UPFA General Secretary and Education Minister Susil Premajayantha said yesterday.

Addressing the UPFA press conference at the Mahaweli Centre, he said President Rajapaksa was the Labour Minister, Fisheries Minister and Opposition Leader before becoming the Premier and President and served both the working class and the fishery sector with dedication, proving his capabilities. (Read More)

On the 17th of May 2003 Silva explained that subsequent to the 17th amendment to the constitution the continuance in office of the Elections Commissioner until the Elections Commission is appointed is a legal requirement.

He said that the Elections Commissioner, Dayananda Dissanayake was in a peculiar situation since Article 27 (2) of the constitution subsequent to the 17th amendment needs him to be in office and did not lay a time limit for the appointment of the Elections Commission by the President on the recommendations of the Constitutional Council.  (Read More)

According to the Elections Commissioner's office, this is the highest number of postal applications the department has received ever received for an election.

Reportedly highest number of applications, over 50,000 has been received from the Kurunegala District. (Read More)

One of the Presidential Candidates yesterday filed a fundamental rights violation petition seeking a declaration from the Supreme Court for the removal of President Mahinda Rajapaksa from the office of Minister of Finance.

Petitioner K.G.Ravindra Lal Perera is also seeking declarations from the Supreme Court for the removal of  Milinda Moragoda from the office of Minister of Justice & Law Reforms, Mohan Peiris from the office of Attorney General and P.B.Jayasundera from the office of Secretary to the Treasury.

K.G. Ravindra Lal Perera who is a candidate at the forthcoming Presidential Election to be held on January 26 as a member of "Our National Front" cited Finance Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, President's Secretary Lalith Weeratunga, Minister of Justice & Law Reforms Milinda Moragoda, Treasury Secretary P.B.Jayasundera, Attorney General Mohan Peiris, President's Adviser Vasudeva Nanayakkara and Prefessional Consultant Nihal Sri Amerasekera as well as the Attorney General as Respondents. (Read More)

The Elections Secretariat has informed the Police Department to activate the programme for removing cutouts and banners as the required funding of Rs.12.8 million had been released to the police now.

A senior spokesman from the Elections Secretariat said it had received about 80 complaints that cutouts, banners and posters of two Presidential candidates were still being displayed and they had been brought to the notice of the relevant Superintendents of Police in charge of matters related to the elections in the regions. (Read More)