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May need separate court to handle polls violence |
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2009-10-03 |
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With the incidence of election malpractice rising in the south, Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake yesterday warned of a need to set up a separate court to deal with election related issues if the present trend continued. The Commissioner made this remark when he met representatives of political parties contesting the election to the Southern Provincial Council. At this progress review meeting, the opposition parties complained about violations of the election law and the failure on the part of the police to bring the situation under control. JVP legal advisor Sunil Watagala who participated in the meeting told the Daily Mirror that police were acting partially while turning a blind to election malpractices being committed by the UPFA candidates. Mr. Watagala said even the lawful election offices...... (Read More) |
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Sajin will not aspire to become chief minister |
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2009-10-03 |
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Addressing a media conference at the Ambalangoda SLFP main office, UPFA candidate contesting southern provincial polls , Sajin Vaas Gunawardane said, he was not an aspirant for the Chief Minister’s (CM) post though he was aware that several candidates in the fray were claiming the CM post. That showed the strength of the candidates and their confidence in getting a large number of votes and it was good for the party. Several media reporters queried why there was an intensive struggle amongst the UPFA candidates to become the Chief Minister of the Southern Province, he reiterated that it shows that many candidates in the party list were popular and strong and they must have thought that they deserved to hold that post and he was not one of them. (Read More) |
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JVP condemns attacks on their offices by UPFA |
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2009-10-03 |
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Hambantota District JVP Parliamentarian Nihal Galappaththi, addressing a press conference, said Minister Chamal Rajapaksa had stated that there was no challenge from any quarter to the UPFA at the forthcoming Southern Provincial Council election and it was a one horse race. But the same night itself the JVP propaganda office had been attacked and demolished and subsequently a number of other JVP offices had been attacked. Angunukolapelessa town office, offices at Ranna, Danathhawala in Vithrandeniya and Kasaagala were the other propaganda offices demolished in the night. Nihal Galappaththi said the police, the so called law enforcement officers in the area, had turned a deaf ear and a blind eye fearing they would be transferred out......... (Read More) |
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One horse race on October 10 Minister Yapa |
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2009-10-03 |
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The UPFA is anticipating a massive historic victory with a majority of 500,000 votes at the Southern Province Election on October 10, Media Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeyawardena told a media conference yesterday. He said people in the South have repose confidence in the Government following the elimination of the LTTE and also because of major development programs undertaken in the three districts as never before. Therefore, on that basis it is a one horse race for the Government to win this election with a majority of 500,000 votes. Minister Abeyawardena said these figures were revealed at a recent district survey on polls and Galle district is likely to obtain a majority between 90,000 to 120,000 votes, Matara 150,000 to 220,000 and Hambantota 200,000 to 240,000 at the election. (Read More)
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SEP election team campaigns among cinnamon peelers |
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2009-10-03 |
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The Socialist Equality Party (SEP) in Sri Lanka recently campaigned in the rural area of Karandeniya in the Southern Province as part of its election campaign for the Provincial Council election on October 10. The SEP is standing a slate of 26 candidates in the Galle district.Karandeniya is situated about 30 kilometres inland from Galle, the capital and main city in the Southern Province. Most of the villagers are farmers who are mainly engaged in cinnamon cultivation, which dates back several centuries. Cinnamon is still a significant foreign exchange earning export.The Galle district is the country’s main cinnamon producing area with more than 10,500 hectares under cultivation. Most production takes place on smallholdings, with the average size of a cinnamon plantation being about 0.5 hectares. Only 5 to 10 percent of plantations are in the range 8-20 hectares. (Read More)
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Sarath Weerawansa in police custody taken in to a Hospital ? |
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2009-10-03 |
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UPFA candidate for the Southern PC election from Matara District Sarath Weerawansa who was fleeing after attacking a group of JVP supporters has been arrested by Pitabaddara Police. He, with a group of his supporters, had threatened the JVP supporters with weapons and assaulted them causing grievous injuries. The car bearing Reg. No.WP KH-3944 and a Pajero bearing reg. no. 64-8027 have been apprehended by the police. A police spokesman said Mr. Weerawansa was in the car at the time of the arrest. The JVP states a complaint has been lodged at Morawaka Police regarding the incident. |
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Police have better work than removing posters and cutouts. Besides, what is the harm in putting them out? Cabinet spokesman |
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2009-10-02 |
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Cabinet spokesman Minister Anura Yapa said, the Police has more important work to do than removing posters and cutouts. In any case, what is the harm there in putting them out? he asked. The Minister gave this answer at a media briefing today (01), when he was questioned by the media as to why the Police despite IGP s instructions is not removing the posters of President and the cutouts. There are even cutouts and posters in front of the Galle police, the media pointed out.
The Minister said, personally he was not against these posters and cutouts being displayed. But, there ways of reaching out to the voters without these methods. Strictly speaking, according to election laws, even door to door canvassing is disallowed,he added. | | If candidates are to get a fair deal the election laws need amendment, which right now is like tying a person’s hands and legs and asking him to swim on water, he asserted. |
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Poster campaign in the wrong place |
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2009-10-02 |
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Photo by www.dailymirror.lk A poster of a Southern provincial candidate was seen in Colombo today. The candidate in question, Randima Gamage is contesting in Galle although posters promoting him are seen in and around Colombo, in the Western province. |
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Elections Commissioner totally blind to election law violations |
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2009-10-02 |
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Media spokesman, Keerthi Tennekoon of CaFFE stated that, because the Elections Commissioner is taking no action against election law violations at this forthcoming Southern provincial Council elections, some of the candidates are openly and brazenly committing breach of election laws. As such this election will go down in election history as one where election malpractices were openly allowed to be committed.
At other elections, the elections Commissioner who holds discussions with the party secretaries weekly has had no discussions this time. The Commissioner has not even replied to the letter addressed to him by CaFFE in this regard. The Elections Commissioner has descended to such a level, CaFFE pinpointed................... (Read More) | |
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Muthuhettigama takes refuge in Colombo |
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2009-10-02 |
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Controversial Southern Provincial Council election UPFA candidate Nishantha Muthuhettigama is presently staying in Colombo with his family. "I am now fed up with the whole setup. But I have finished all my election propaganda work. If I continue to stay in Galle I will get into further trouble. Some interested parties are creating problems for me", a dejected Muthuhettigama said yesterday. He said that he would gather a large crowd of supporters and attend a UPFA election rally to be addressed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa within the next few days. He would thereafter return to Colombo and would go again on October 10 to cast his vote. He said that he was hopeful of topping the list among all UPFA candidates. "The more I stay in Galle these days more trouble awaits me. It is far better to allow others to their canvassing so that they would leave me alone" he said. He was earlier charged before the Galle Chief Magistrate and is on bail.
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