Re-Poll in Nawalapitya &
Trincomalee
20 April 2010, Sri Lanka, 1pm: Re-polling
in 34 polling centers in Nawalapitiya Polling Division, Kandy District
and in Kumburupitiya Polling Station (Number 78), Trincomalee Polling
Division, Trincomalee District commenced at 7 am today. The Election
Commissioner decided to re-poll following allegations of serious
election malpractices including obstruction of voters and chasing away
of polling officers on General Election Day on April 8th 2010. CMEV is monitoring the re-polling with 4 mobile teams and 34
stationary monitors in Nawalapitiya and 1 mobile team and 1 stationary
monitor in Kumburupitiya.
As of 13:00 hours CMEV reports four incidents of election violations:
Transport of Voters in Trincomalee: CMEV mobile
monitors reported that at around 9.20am, supporters of UPFA candidate
Susantha Punchinilame (No 07) were transporting voters from the Salappai
area and Gandhinagar in two vehicles bearing registration numbers 31Sri
1756 (a jeep) and WP 5029 (a bus), located near the Kumburupitiya
Polling Station (No 78) around 9.10am in the Trincomlaee Electorate.
Transport of Voters in Nawalapitiya: As
reported by CMEV around 11.00am, a white van bearing the Registration
No. 42-0239 had engaged in transporting voters to Galaha junior school
Polling Station No. 30 in Nawalapitiya Electorate. This has happened
several times but the police have only warned the perpetrators.
Illegal Casting of Ballot in Nawalapitiya: CMEV
monitors reported at around 8.35am, the SPO in the Polling Station No 39
Kadiyallena Junior School in the Nawalapitiya Electorate, was helping
disabled voters to cast their vote. However, he marked the ballot paper
himself and puts it into the ballot box without showing it to the
voter. Nor was this voting being witnessed by another official as
required by law. A similar practice was reported to have taken place in
polling station No. 07, Alugolla junior school (No. 2) in Dolosbage, in
Nawalapitiya Electorate. This was observed at around 11.45am by CMEV
monitor.
Impersonating Monitor: As reported by CMEV around
12.05pm, a person in the vicinity of the Dolosbage Junior School Polling
Station (No.01) in Dolosbage in the Nawalapitiya Electorate, was
wearing the hand band of CMEV and thereby posing as a CMEV Election
Observer. The police removed the person from the vicinity of the polling
station and returned the hand band to the CMEV Election Observer.