Presidential Election 2010:

Elections held in peaceful atmosphere - Elections Commissioner

The January 26 Presidential Election concluded in a peaceful atmosphere except for a few minor incidents. However it is observed with much concern that certain violent incidents occurred during the poll and also in Anuradhapura and Matale during the counting of votes, Elections Commissioner Dayanada Dissanayake said in a release.

He said: “It has to be stated with much reluctance that the co-operation received from some of the candidates and their supporters in ensuring a peaceful, free and fair election during the two month period of the election campaign was much less than desired. It became necessary to issue directives and guidelines to prevent misuse of State resources and the State media.

A Competent Authority had to be appointed to ensure observation of the guidelines by the media. The lack of positive response shown to the directives and guidelines is regretted. This attitude was the subject of much criticism and amusement of both the civil society and rival parties.

The Returning Officers of Districts, Additional Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners, Senior Assistant Commissioners, Assistant Commissioners of the Department of Elections and the staff of the Elections Department, the officers of the public service, Divisional Secretaries and Election Professionals once again undertook a well-organised program of work over the last two month period.

The entire police force including the Inspector-General of Police is commended for the security coverage provided at the election from the day of nominations to the day of poll. A full compliment of police personnel was released for election duty.

While a 200,000 strong election staff was provided with security at 11,199 polling stations to enable the electors to cast their votes and to prevent interference by outsiders in polling stations. The arrangement of security to the staff and the electors throughout the nine-hour poll is the key to success of a free election. I express my appreciation on the security coverage provided by the Police, and the Home Guards.

The assistance of the three Armed Forces had to be obtained both for the provision of security and logistical support. The security requirement was more pronounced in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. I wish to thank the Ministry of Defence, and the three Service Commanders and the Armed Services for the effective security coverage for logistical support extended to the election.

The Government Printer in his customary manner printed all our requirements well in time, while the Ceylon Electricity Board, Sri Lanka Telecom and Postal Department maintained their schedules of services and supplies efficiently at this election. Government Factory promptly attended to the supply and repairs of ballot boxes.

The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation supplied all fuel required especially during the periods of heavy movement of vehicles. I thank them all.

The Railway, Sri Lanka Central Transport Board and specially the private bus owners met the transport requirements of all the Returning Officers for transport of staff and electors, within and between the districts. Their services are appreciated.

“I greatly appreciate chief incumbents of religious bodies and public welfare organisations and individuals that helped us by providing venues for polling stations. And also I would like to thank private enterprises that provided equipment and services whenever there was a need.

“I thank the Divisional Secretaries who deployed the 14,000 odd Grama Niladharis to arrange polling stations and other services and the Grama Niladharis themselves who carried out these functions. The services rendered by the Commissioner-General of Registration of Persons in issuing a large number of temporary identity cards to the persons who did not possess national identity cards with the assistance of Gram Niladharis and Superintendents of Estates is much appreciated.

“The Director of the University of Colombo School of Computing and his staff assisted the Department in disseminating the final results to the electronic and print media. Their services are commended. Similarly I appreciate very much State owned and private media organisations which broadcast the results and internet and mobile service operators who facilitated this process.

On this occasion, two groups of International Observers namely the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Association of Asian Election Authorities undertook observing the poll, the count and the declaration of results, in all the districts. All arrangements in connection with these International Observers were entrusted to a secretariat established for the purpose. The secretariat had the assistance of the Protocol Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

I wish to acknowledge with appreciation the effective manner in which this secretariat handled its work while thanking the Secretary/Foreign Affairs and the Protocol Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Ministry Security Division deserved my appreciation for providing security to international observers. I wish to place on record the active participation of civil society and Non-Governmental Organisations which had aspirations for a free and fair election. I allowed local organisations namely PAFFREL and CMEV to conduct observations of their own. I am pleased with the role they played. I thank them all.

“I am also grateful for the services rendered by a retired senior officer of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service, who was appointed as Competent Authority for State electronic media.

Finally, I must thank the Presidential candidates, agents and political party secretaries for their co-operation and the voters out of the 14.4 million registered electors who showed much enthusiasm in turning up at the polling stations in time and co-operating with polling staff and the police to ensure a free and fair election.”