Polling cards in classroom of Andrews College: EC rejects three valid complaints of election monitors- see photos
(Lanka-e-News-28.Sep.2013, 6.30PM) The election monitors have forwarded three complaints in connection with the conduct of elections at Putalam on the 21 st to the Elections Commissioner (EC), but the latter had rejected them under most suspicious circumstances inducing the monitors to cast doubts and suspicion on the EC’s action, and to question why he did so.
At the St . Andrews College Puttalam which was a counting center , on 24th large number of marked polling cards around thousand had been found left unattended. The monitors say , these marked polling cards in a bundle at this center which is located in the vicinity of the Puttalam police station were among those that had been discarded.
When the group of laborers were cleaning the classrooms they have discovered them whereupon they have reported it to the police and the monitors. By the time the monitors reached the venue , the police had already entered the place , and have refused to allow the monitors to come in triggering grave suspicions over this whole episode.
In any event the monitors had been able to confirm that there were marked polling cards at the venue as reported. They say among them were polling cards of UPFA candidates Sadath Chandrasiri(10) , Chinthaka Mayadunne (11) and Indrani Dassanayake (8).
It is to be noted that despite an authorized election monitoring Organization requesting permission to monitor the vote counting at this election , the EC had rejected the request.
The monitors made complaints of three instances of suspicious vote counting in the Puttalam district on election day to the EC. Yet the latter had rejected them which has led to doubts and suspicions to be cast on EC’s conduct. It is being furiously questioned why the EC did not take any action on those complaints?
A report submitted by an election monitoring Organization makes this abundantly clear thus :
‘ CAFFE has received four complaints by UPFA candidates and their associates in Puttalam ; and CAFFE has requested three times to monitor the counting ,the most vital parts of the election’
Apart from this , a recount on the Puttalam votes has also created grave suspicion. Even the counting of votes at Kandy had run into a storm of conflicts. In Kurunegala issues have cropped up when counting the preferential votes of UNP candidate Shamal Senaratne.
Since the EC had on three occasions rejected the requests of an election monitoring Organization to monitor the counting , it had been impossible for the latter to give a report , as the murky activities that were going on inside the center could not be detected therefore .
The most important aspect of an election is the counting of votes , and therefore any attempts at suppressing it from the monitors is most irregular and a cause for serious suspicion.
On an earlier occasion a number of polling cards were discovered at a counting center at Ratnapura district, which were collected by UNP deputy leader Karu Jayasooriya.and handed over to the EC . The EC had strangely still not conducted any inquiry into it or submitted a report in that regard. In other words here is a most responsible EC who has acted most irresponsibly , strangely, negligently and suspiciously in the discharge of his duties all along.
In the past , a large quantity of polling cards with the cross against party symbol swan was discovered at Kalagedihena . The answer given by the EC in that connection was they are cards that have fallen off a Van. This answer is as absurd as he is harebrained .
All his actions and utterances have only contributed to arousing suspicions against him rather than reposing faith in him. The monitors pinpointed earlier too , there were malpractices at the polling centers in Matale and Anuradhapura .
The polling cards that were found this evening at the polling center in Andrews College , Puttalam, and a copy of the complaint made to the election monitors by the candidates ,of the irregularities and malpractices were been planned ahead when the counting was to take place at Puttalam are depicted in the photographs.
In the circumstances , only a stupid EC who has his headquarters in his hindquarters can still say the elections were fairly conducted.
(Lanka-e-News-28.Sep.2013, 6.30PM) The election monitors have forwarded three complaints in connection with the conduct of elections at Putalam on the 21 st to the Elections Commissioner (EC), but the latter had rejected them under most suspicious circumstances inducing the monitors to cast doubts and suspicion on the EC’s action, and to question why he did so.At the St . Andrews College Puttalam which was a counting center , on 24th large number of marked polling cards around thousand had been found left unattended. The monitors say , these marked polling cards in a bundle at this center which is located in the vicinity of the Puttalam police station were among those that had been discarded.
When the group of laborers were cleaning the classrooms they have discovered them whereupon they have reported it to the police and the monitors. By the time the monitors reached the venue , the police had already entered the place , and have refused to allow the monitors to come in triggering grave suspicions over this whole episode.
In any event the monitors had been able to confirm that there were marked polling cards at the venue as reported. They say among them were polling cards of UPFA candidates Sadath Chandrasiri(10) , Chinthaka Mayadunne (11) and Indrani Dassanayake (8).
It is to be noted that despite an authorized election monitoring Organization requesting permission to monitor the vote counting at this election , the EC had rejected the request.
The monitors made complaints of three instances of suspicious vote counting in the Puttalam district on election day to the EC. Yet the latter had rejected them which has led to doubts and suspicions to be cast on EC’s conduct. It is being furiously questioned why the EC did not take any action on those complaints?
A report submitted by an election monitoring Organization makes this abundantly clear thus :
‘ CAFFE has received four complaints by UPFA candidates and their associates in Puttalam ; and CAFFE has requested three times to monitor the counting ,the most vital parts of the election’
Apart from this , a recount on the Puttalam votes has also created grave suspicion. Even the counting of votes at Kandy had run into a storm of conflicts. In Kurunegala issues have cropped up when counting the preferential votes of UNP candidate Shamal Senaratne.
Since the EC had on three occasions rejected the requests of an election monitoring Organization to monitor the counting , it had been impossible for the latter to give a report , as the murky activities that were going on inside the center could not be detected therefore .
The most important aspect of an election is the counting of votes , and therefore any attempts at suppressing it from the monitors is most irregular and a cause for serious suspicion.
On an earlier occasion a number of polling cards were discovered at a counting center at Ratnapura district, which were collected by UNP deputy leader Karu Jayasooriya.and handed over to the EC . The EC had strangely still not conducted any inquiry into it or submitted a report in that regard. In other words here is a most responsible EC who has acted most irresponsibly , strangely, negligently and suspiciously in the discharge of his duties all along.
In the past , a large quantity of polling cards with the cross against party symbol swan was discovered at Kalagedihena . The answer given by the EC in that connection was they are cards that have fallen off a Van. This answer is as absurd as he is harebrained .
All his actions and utterances have only contributed to arousing suspicions against him rather than reposing faith in him. The monitors pinpointed earlier too , there were malpractices at the polling centers in Matale and Anuradhapura .
The polling cards that were found this evening at the polling center in Andrews College , Puttalam, and a copy of the complaint made to the election monitors by the candidates ,of the irregularities and malpractices were been planned ahead when the counting was to take place at Puttalam are depicted in the photographs.
In the circumstances , only a stupid EC who has his headquarters in his hindquarters can still say the elections were fairly conducted.
