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| Saturday, 6 March 2004 |
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Politics | |
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| Police to seize Govt vehicles used for electioneering by Sarath Malalasekera The Police Elections Secretariat has deployed a special Police team to take into custody all Government vehicles used by politicians during the election period for their propaganda campaigns. The team was set up by the Inspector General of Police Indra de Silva on a directive of the Election Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake. The Police Elections Secretariat has also set up a separate unit to raid presses which print elections posters. DIG Gamini Navaratne, who is in charge of the police anti-violence unit during the election, appealed to all owners of printing presses in the country to assist the police to maintain law and order under the Parliamentary Election Act and not to print posters for billing in public places. The IGP has taken this step mainly to protect the candidates from printing offending posters, DIG Navaratne told the 'Daily News' yesterday. The only major incident reported to the Police Election Secretariat yesterday morning was from Rambukkana, Kegalle district in connection with a stabbing reported by the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA). Post nomination incidents of polls violence reached 217 yesterday. The Police Election Secretariat said they had received 14 complaints yesterday. DIG Jayantha Wickremaratne oversees the Violation of Election Laws unit while DIG Navaratne is in charge of the Unit on Election Offenses. The UNF had reported 57 complaints, PA 20, JVP 29, UPFA 60 and other parties 51 complaints. Incidents have been reported from Batticaloa District, Mawanella, Ampara, Negombo, Anuradhapura, Ratnapura, Kandy, Eheliyagoda, Kalmunai, Akuressa, Wattala, Matale, Wattegama, Nagoda-Galle, Welipenna, Walapone, Kegalle, Gampola, Gampaha, Kadawatha, Nugegoda and Chilaw police areas. The IGP has directed all Senior DIGs and DIGs to obtain assistance as an when required from the three Armed Forces. DIG Wickremaratne said that public assistance and cooperation during the election period are very important. The Public could contact the nearest police station and supply information about troublemakers. All Police stations have been directed to entertain complaints regarding the violation of election laws from all candidates and from the public. The OICs of the Police Stations have been instructed to communicate with the Police Election Secretariat daily, DIG Wickremaratne said. |
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