CMEV writes to polls chief
THE Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV), having fielded
mobile election monitors in many of the polling stations throughout
North and East on election day, feels that the environment during the
election campaign and on Election Day in the North and East were not
conducive to the conduct of a free and fair election.
The CMEV in a letter to Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake
said there are two separate situations that they would like to address.
In the North, the major issue was that of intimidation of voters
through diverse means including the distribution of posters and leaflets
that aggressively discouraged people from going to the polls.
This led to the total turn out of the polls in the Jaffna District,
for example, being as low as 1.5 percent of the total number of
registered voters.
In the East, too, persons from areas under LTTE control were denied
access to the transport - buses and ferries made available by the
Government enable them to travel to the cluster polling stations set up
in Government-controlled areas.
There were also acts of violence on the night before elections and
throughout election day that terrorised and intimidated people from
going to the polls.
The CMEV called on the polls chief to use the powers vested in him as
Commissioner of Elections to call for a re-poll of the North and East to
ensure that a truly free and fair election of the Chief Executive of Sri
Lanka has taken place.
The CMEV said: "We would like to refer to Section 103 (2) of the 17th
Amendment to the Constitution that mandates the Commissioner to ensure
the conduct of a free and fair poll.
This is, as you well know, in terms of the Presidential Elections Act
of 1981 and the Elections (Special Provisions) Act of 1988, is
especially so in circumstances which could affect the outcome of the
elections.
We draw your attention also to Article 21 (2) of the Elections
(Special Provisions) Act which refers to the need for a re-poll where
due to an emergency or unforseen circumstance the poll for the election
of a District cannot be taken.
We hope that you will consider the circumstances of violence and
intimidation that accompanied the Presidential polls in the Northern
Province and in the Eastern Province on November 17 and call for a
re-poll in keeping with the powers vested in you by law." |