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| Thursday, 1 April 2004 |
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Politics | |
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| UPFA questions Competent Authority's conduct by Ranil Wijayapala The United People's Freedom Alliance yesterday questioned the conduct of the Competent Authority appointed by the Elections Commissioner who the UPFA charged was favouring the UNF by following the instructions given to him by the party. JVP Propaganda Secretary and Freedom Alliance Colombo District candidate Wimal Weerawansa said yesterday, at a media briefing held at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute that the Elections Commissioner should explain the violation of his orders by the private media institutions as he has already appointed a Competent Authority to monitor state media. "We have our doubts about the appointment of a Competent Authority for the state electronic media at the tail end of the election campaign", Weerawansa told a press conference held yesterday at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute. Weerawansa said the Competent Authority stopped the "Engili Salakuna" programme of the Rupavahini on the basis of a letter sent to him by UNP General Secretary Senerath Kapukotuwa without consulting other parties. He said the Freedom Alliance had informed the Elections Commissioner of the violation of the Commissioner's orders by private media institutes. The JVP Propaganda Secretary also said doubts have been risen with respect to the partiality of elections monitors appointed by PAFFREL as their membership themselves had made complains over the partiality of their team. The Elections Commissioner should not go beyond the powers vested in him by the Elections Act, Weerawansa said noting that the Commissioner had permitted elections monitors to enter polling booths which was outside the elections rules and regulations", Weerawansa added. "Apart from the elections staff and Police, only the candidates are allowed to enter polling booths during the elections according to Elections Act", he added. He said the party has also informed the Elections Commissioner about conspiracies by certain political parties to spread violence and sabotage the poll and pass the blame onto the JVP and on the Freedom Alliance. He said they have also requested the Elections Commissioner to assign security forces to protect polling booths as they have their doubts about the conduct of the Police during this election. Freedom Alliance National list candidate M.M. Zuhair said more than 5,000 displaced persons in Puttalam district have not received their polling cards. |
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