Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake has cancelled all appointments, promotions and transfers in all the Ministries, Departments, Corporations and Statutory Boards with effect from or after November 23, till the Presidential Election was over.

A spokesman for the Elections Department said that the order which is in force from November 23, the day the official declaration was made regarding the Presidential elections.

It was said that the Commissioner had resorted to such actions upon receiving powers vested on him by the Sections 104 (4) and 104 (A) of the 17th Amendment.

The directives from the Commissioner of Elections are due to be sent today (8th) to all Ministerial Secretaries and Heads of Departments.

The action had been taken after Mr. Dissanayake had received complaints that appointments, transfers and promotions were being made by the Government and Provincial institutions including Corporations and Statutory Boards violating the provisions in the Constitution.

In terms of these provisions it is necessary to suspend appointments, transfers and promotions in the State Services, Corporations and Statutory Bodies during the period of an election.

The period of an election is from the date of the proclamation issued to hold an election and until the date on which the result of the election was announced.

The period in relation to the forthcoming Presidential Election commenced on November 23 until the date on which the result of the election was announced.

It was hereby notified that any appointments, transfers or promotions effected on or after November 23, should be cancelled forthwith.

Tamil National Alliance parliamentarian M.K. Sivajilingam said yesterday he was ready to contest the Jaunary 26 presidential election as the common Tamil candidate if his party took such a decision.

Mr. Sivajilingam who is noted for his controversial remarks during the war period said he believed the Tamil people should not support either of the two main presidential candidates and added that this election would give the Sinhala people the opportunity to decide who their war hero was.

He said that as such the minority communities should not participate at this election. (Read More)

Countering allegations made by opposition common candidate, General Sarath Fonseka that the refusal to accept a shipload of weaponry imported by Sri Lanka Logistics and Technologies Ltd (SLTL) had triggered the fall out with the government which yesterday claimed it was actually the other way around.

A weekend newspaper quoting General Fonseka claimed that the reason for the differences between the government and General Fonseka was the vetoing of a multi million dollar proposal to purchase further large quantities of artillery shells from China to the value of 300 million US dollars by Lanka Logistics & Technologies Ltd. – a state owned public liability company operating under the Ministry of Defence under the chairmanship of Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.     

Cabinet spokesman and Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa told a news briefing at the Information Department that it was the Army under the command of General Fonseka that had placed the US$ 300 million order without the knowledge of the SLTL. “STLT Chairman Gotabhaya Rajapapksa did not have a clue about this order. The ship load arrived at the Port of Colombo after the conclusion of the humanitarian operations. Therefore, a huge load of artillery shells to this magnitude was not necessary and the Defence Ministry refused the load of ammunition and sent the ship back,” Minister Yapa said.

The sole purpose of setting up of the STLT was to prevent the involvement of a third party in military purchases. This government after assuming office found that millions if not billions of dollars had been paid as commissions to arms dealers in the past. The STLT was established on a suggestion of Mr. Rajapaksa himself, the minister said.

The government supporters say a split in the party is imminent as some senior members of the party were absent at the UNP convention held in Welisara yesterday. UNP National Organizer, S. B. Dissanayake, Kurunegala District Parliamentarian Johnston Fernando, former Deputy Mayor of Colombo Azath Sally and some other senior members did not attend the meeting.

Meanwhile, a Daily Mirror online report said S.B. Dissanayake met President Mahinda Rajapaksa in Hanguranketta today and he is to hold a media briefing tomorrow to announce his stand.

Parliamentarian Johnston Fernando earlier said that party's decision to support Sarath Fonseka as the common candidate under the swan symbol has made party stalwarts unhappy. This is the first time the UNP is not fielding a candidate under the elephant symbol.

If UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe is not strong enough to contest the Presidential Election to be held on January 26 as the leader of the party he should nominate a candidate who has the strength to give leadership to the UNP without selecting Sarath Fonseka who was the choice of the JVP, Kurunegala district UNP Parliamentarian Johnston Fernando said yesterday.

The election office of Parliamentarian and JVP politburo member K.D Lalkantha in Anuradhapura was attacked by an unidentified group on Saturday.

Witnesses said several gun shots had been fired towards the office while some supporters were putting up banners in front of the office at the time. (Read More)