Inspector General of Police issues firm instructions:

Knock-out cut-outs

Sarath Malalasekera

Inspector General of Police Mahinda Balasuriya yesterday issued firm directions to all Senior DIGs and DIGs of the nine provinces to get the Officers in Charge of Police Stations to remove all cut-outs and hoardings of political party candidates with immediate effect.

The IGP issued these instructions following a directive by Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake that all cut-outs, hoardings and posters should be removed forthwith.

Senior DIG Gamini Navaratne who is in charge of the Police Election Secretariat will be tasked to ensure the IGP’s directions are complied with.

The IGP also asked Senior Police officers to educate their staff about the existing election and traffic laws which should be applied when they are deployed during the elections.

The IGP emphasised that Police personnel on election duty should be well versed with their responsibilities during the pre-elections period day, election day and post election period. All candidates and the public involved in the election campaigning should be treated in an equal manner without taking sides, he said.

Police will also provide security to Postal employees during the distribution of polling cards.

The IGP recently interdicted eight OICs and sent two Senior Police Officers on compulsory leave on the direction of Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. They are alleged to have violated election laws during the Presidential election.

Attorney General President’s Counsel Mohan Peiris recently told the Supreme Court that the IGP has decided to provide security to election candidates who are either party leaders or general secretaries and all ex-MPs.