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President ensures:
All systems in place for smooth poll
Rajmi MANATHUNGA and Irangika RANGE
COLOMBO: President Mahinda Rajapaksa has ensured that maximum
security will be in place to prevent election violations and provide a
conducive environment for voters to cast their ballot at polling
stations at tomorrow’s North Central and Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council
Elections, Media Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardhana said.
Addressing the media in Colombo yesterday, the Minister said the UPFA
will achieve a comprehensive victory at the poll and there was no reason
for it to resort to violence to achieve this victory. “It is obvious the
parties who fear defeat would attempt to create violence.”
“We condemn and refute allegations of violence leveled against us,”
he said.
The Minister requested the individual candidates and the supporters
of the UPFA not to engage in any election violations since victory is
already theirs. The Government has already received a clear mandate from
the people of both North Central and Sabaragamuwa provinces. It has been
proved by the results of three independent surveys conducted recently,
he said.
Under this survey , both UPFA Chief Ministerial candidates Berty
Premalal Dissanayaka and Maheepala Herath top the list in the
preferential vote by over 70 per cent, the Minister said.
People who live in rural areas have endorsed the Government’s
anti-terror drive and the prudent decisions taken to strengthen the
economy. Despite the debilitation war the Government had never abandoned
the development the country, he said.
The country has a vibrant economy and it is going from strength to
strength. People have shown their absolute faith in the Government who
had undertaken massive infrastructure development projects such as the
supply of electricity, education, water and health facilities in the
rural areas.
The Government is also receiving a good response from the farmers
following the high paddy yield and good prices fetched for tea, and
rubber.
He said a number of violent activities have taken place since the day
of nominations.
All parties are guilty in this regard and one cannot point the finger
at only one particular party for these incidents.
According to the complaints received at the National Polls
Observation Center, 172 election violations have taken place in both
North Central and Sabaragamuwa Provinces. Of these , 83 complaints are
from Anuradhapura, 25 from Polonnaruwa, 21 from Kegalle and 33
complaints from Ratnapura.. Fifty four complaints have been made by the
UNP, 49 complaints from JVP and 62 complaints from UPFA, 3 complaints
from the Ceylon Workers Congress too have been received and 4 persons
have been arrested by police.
The UPFA election office in Kekirawa, was attacked by large crowd
yesterday. Police couldn’t access the place for a long time due to
number of people who had stormed.
A Private Secretary of Petroleum Resources Development Deputy
Minister Duminda Disanayaka was shot by a gang of armed persons in
Eppawala yesterday evening |
