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CMEV has received the following reports from the field:
Eastern Province
Batticaloa District: Kalkudah Electroate: SLMC supporter Mr. Mohamad
Ismail was attacked by a group of UPFA supporters at around 10:55 am
about 20m away from the Oddamavadi Central College Polling Station
(Polling Centre 69). CMEV spoke to Mr Ismail, who informed CMEV that he
had been hit by members of the group, resulting in injuries to his face,
left leg and right hand. He was admitted to the Mancholai hospital and
is currently receiving treatment. No Police report had been lodged as at
10:55 am.
Ampara District: Digamadulla Electorate: At the Ampara/Lihiniyagama
Maha Vidyalaya Polling Centre (21) there had been a long queue of 300
people around 8:15 am and the delay had caused about 30 people to leave
the premises without casting their vote. According to the SPO of the
polling station the delay is on account of the checking of temporary IDs
and the lack of staff at the polling centre.
Ampara District: Digamadulla Electorate: CMEV monitors were prevented
from accessing Ampara/ Damana Maha Vidyalaya Polling Centre (151) by
the Police at around 10:40 am for 15 minutes after which the monitor was
given access. The reason given by the Police was that the Eastern
Province Minister for Education and Transport, Wimalaweera Dissanayake
was at the polling station.
Ampara District: Digamadulla Electorate: CMEV reports that at around
9.30 am the Buddhist monk of Pokunuvita Temple Ven Pokunugala Sri
Manarathana stood for about 30 minutes within a distance of 50 meters
from the Ampara/ Damana Maha Vidyalaya Polling Centre (Polling Centre
No. 151), and attempted to influence voters in favour of President
Mahinda Rajapakse . When the Police had asked the monk to leave, he had
continued trying to influence people from within a distance of 200
meters for a further 1 ½ hours.
Ampara District: Digamadulla Electorate: Three officials of the
Lathpandura Vidyalaya Polling Station (Polling Centre No. 19) have not
reported for duty as of 10.20 am. As a result there is a long queue of
about 350 people. In addition to his duties, the SPO has to assist the
others in their duties.
Ampara District: Digamadulla Electorate: Chairman W.S.W.N Ariyaratne
Wijewickrema and the Vice Chairman Udena Chinthaka Navaratne of the Maha
Oya Pradeshiya Sabha arrived in a cab (Vehicle number – EP LE 7504) and
a van (Vehicle number – EP GR 8672) with another 10 people to Mr. A. M
Gunadasa’s shop and have threatened to kill him saying that he is
influencing people to vote for the Swan Symbol (Sarath Fonseka). Though
Mr. Gunadasa has insisted that he does not support any party, the group
have threatened and warned him that he should expect “something” to
happen in the night. CMEV also reports that voters have been transported
in these same 2 vehicles to the Ampara Kudaharasgala Vidyalaya Polling
Station (Polling Station No. 58).
Trincomalee District – Trincomalee Electorate – at 11.40am the
Trincomalee ARO Mr. Vijaya Samarasinghe stated that if the Polling
Agents are agreead, people with Postal IDs, Navy Passes, Army IDs and
Police Reports could vote. A person with a Postal ID had allegedly
attempted to cast a vote and was prevented by the SPO Krishanadas, at
which point UPFA Provincial Councilor Ariyawathi Galappaththi had
protested. The ARO had subsequently arrived on the scene and pronounced
the above. CMEV has received confirmation of this from the SPO.
Northern Province
Vanni District – Vavuniya Electorate – as reported by the CMEV mobile
team, yet another hand grenade attack was reported from Amman Road –
School Road Junction, Paddirukulam at 12.02pm.
Vanni District – Vavuniya Electorate – 11.50 a.m in Kurumankadu a
house at No 25, 4th lane, Dharmadevar, Kurumankadu, Vavuniya
was subjected to a grenade attack.
Vavuniya District, Vavuniya electorate- CMEV monitor reported that at
11.43am a van (no57-9138) with around 8 persons including Nasim,
Rishny, Larry and Risvan who were identified by persons around the area
and supporters of Minister Rishard Badurdeen, came to Muslim MV
Pattanichpulliyankulam (centre no 40 ) and hurled a hand grenade at SLMC
member Mr. A.L.M Safir within the radius of 500m of the polling
station. There were no injuries reported.
Central Province
Nuwara Eliya District – Nuwara Eliya Maskeliya Electorate – at
12.00pm at Vatagoda Tamil Vidyalaya polling station centre no 15, CWC
supporters canvassed voters in favour of the UPFA candidate. The Police
arrived on the scene and dispersed the group.
Nuwara Eliya District – Nuwara Eliya Maskeliya Electorate – at 1.00pm
both UPFA and NDF supporters gathered at the Parpadam Wathu Pasela
centre no 26, influencing voters.
Kandy District – Gampola Electorate – at 3.00pm, approximately 70
UPFA supporters were behaving in a manner that disturbed voters at the
Atabage Udagama Maha Vidyalaya centre no 32.
Kandy District – Theldeniya Electorate – At 15.20pm at the Abeysinghe
Kanishta Vidyalaya centre no 30 in Watapatha, the ARO and SPO prevented
CMEV mobile monitors from entering the above polling centre.
Kandy District – Theldeniya Electorate – At 2.15pm at Waradhiwela
Maha Vidyalaya centre no 9 the SPO of the polling station prevented the
CMEV mobile monitor from entering the polling station.
Kandy District – Gampola Electorate – at 4.00pm at Atabhage Udagama
Mahavidyalaya centre no 32 at Maddagam Madda, it is alleged that UPFA
Minister D.M Jayaratne’s son assaulted the policeman guarding this
polling station.
Southern Province
Hambantota District – Beliatte Electorate – according to JVP Member
of Parliament Nihal Galappatti, at 11.00am UPFA supporters influenced
voters at the Pagngnananda Prathamika Vidyalaya centre no. 41. The
Police Officer appointed to the centre had taken action to remove the
UPFA supporters. The IOC of Beliatte Police Krishantha had subsequently
arrived on the scene and removed the Police Officer from the polling
centre.
Hambantota District – Thissamaharama Electorate – the CMEV monitor
has not been allowed into the Yatalathissa Prathamika Vidyalaya centre
no 71. He was also denied any information.
Galle District – Galle Electorate- around 10.10 am Deputy Minister
Lionel Premasiri, Deputy Mayor of Galle Fawzie Niyas ( UPFA) visited a
house close to Katagoda Technical Collage and threatened and intimidated
the occupants as alleged by Phillip Nishantha, who also placed an entry
with the Galle Harbour Police.
Hambantota District – Beliatta, Kahawaata Polling Station(NO.40),
Ajith Mathumanna, JVP member of Pradeshiya Sabha, reported that two
vehicles belonging to Blue Force(“NIL BALAKAYA”)of UPFA, were parked
near the Polling Station at about 10.00 a.m.
Hambantota District – Beliatte Electorate – Gatamanna North Junior
School Polling Station (No 35),CMEV mobile monitor Sampath reported that
many unauthorized persons were seen in the polling station between
08.30am and 09.15 am.
Hambantota District – Beliatte Electorate -H/Nayaka Rajapakse
Vidyalaya (No 34), CMEV monitor reported that many unauthorized persons
were seen within the polling station between 8.30am and 9.15 a.m.
Hambantota District – Beliatte Electorate – Gatamanna Wijaya Central
Collage Polling Station (No 33), CMEV monitor in Beliatta reported that
that many unauthorized persons were seen within the polling station
between 08.30 am and 9.15 a.m.
Hambantota District – Tangalle Electorate – Kadurupokuna Maha
Vidyalaya Polling Station No 23, CMEV monitor reported that the voting
booths were positioned in such a way as to make ballot papers visible to
the SPO when the voters cast their votes. The incident was reported
about 8.30 a.m.
Hambantota District – Tangalla Electorate,Gajanayakagama Junior
School(No 50)Polling Station, former MP Kularatne reported that D.R.
Pradeep Kumarage who was supposed to continue as a representative in the
Polling Station was assaulted and handed over to the Weerakatiya Police
Station by M.K.Mahesh, the son of M.K. Ranjith, Member of the Southern
Provincial Council and Private Secretary to Minister, Mahinda
Samaraweera, complaining that he had illegally collected NICs at about
12.20 pm. The suspect remains under arrest at the Police station.
Matara District – Matara Electorate – Pamburana Saliputhra Vidyalaya
Polling Station, JVP organizer for Mathara District reported that UPFA
supporters of minister Chandrasiri Gajahdheera came in a procession to
the Pamburana Sailputhra Polling Station about 8.50 a.m. .
North Western Province
Kurunegala District – Hiriyala Electorate – between 12.00pm and
1.00pm, CMEV monitors W.A.S.L. Gunawardena and R.S.G. Wijendra were
threatened and their documents torn up by approximately 20 UPFA
supporters who attempted to assault the monitors, near the Almina Muslim
Maha Vidyalaya centre no 36. Police Officers who arrived on the scene
had resolved the situation.
Puttalam District – Chilaw Electorate – at 2.40 pm when the Returning
Officer was entering the polling station at Pambala Kanishta Vidyalaya
centre no 66, some UPFA supporters had also entered the polling station
asserting that if the Returning Officer could enter the station, they
also had the ability to do so.
Puttalam District – Chilaw Electorate – at 11.20 am: voters at the
Bangadeniya Kanishta Vidyalaya Polling Station centre no 23 were
assaulted by UPFA Arachchikattuwa Pradesheeya Sabha President Jagath
Samantha and others. They also told the Polling Agent to leave the
Polling station. Jagath Samantha rejects the allegation.
North Central Province
Polonnaruwa District – Polonnaruwa Electorate – while UNP supporter
Lakshman Senevirathne was on his way to the polling centre at 6.00am,
A.K.G. Nishantha Harischandra, Ranjan Nanayakkara (Mahaweli Adhikariya)
and Prashan had blocked the road and threatened him. A complaint has
been lodged at the Aralaganwila Police – CIB I 205/238.
Polonnaruwa District – Polonnaruwa Electorate – UPFA provincial
councilor Peshala Jayaratna had been transporting voters in vehicles
belonging to Thamankaduwa Pradeshiya Sabha at around 1.30pm.
Uva Province
Badulla District – Mahiyanganaya Electorate – at 1.30 p.m – a group
of supporters of the Agriculture Minister of the Uva Palath Sabahva,
Anura Vidanagamage, went to the home of Mr Attanayake Mudiansalage
Gunaratne in Beligalla, Dambana and assaulted him and his wife. No
serious injuries were sustained in the assault. The Mahiyangana Police
has received the complaint and were recording statements.
Monaragala District – Monaragala Electorate – at 1.25 p.m. Uva
Provincial Council Minister Kumara Siri Ratnayake and his supporters
parked his vehicle ( Vehicle No. 59-2041) bearing President Rajapakse’s
poster, in front of the Kirawanagoda Kanishta Vidyala centre no 87 and
were seen talking to voters.
Digamadulla District, Pottuvil Electorate: CMEV observed two persons
on a motor bike (MT 0340) distributing ballot papers outside AI/
Kathariya Vidyalaya (Polling Centre 86) to four women asking them to
vote for President Mahinda Rajapaka. One of the women, A.M. Mizaya who
had already cast her vote had taken one of the ballot papers and voted
again. A CMEV monitor overheard the JPO asking her ”why did you come
now, you should have come later.”
CMEV strongly urges the Election Commissioner to consider
annulling the poll in this particular polling station.