Govt. trying to change mindset of voters: UNP

UNP MP Mangala Samaraweera yesterday said Computer manipulation of ‘Jilmart’ was something created by the ruling UPFA to keep pro opposition voters away from the polling stations. Mr. Samaraweera said it was being created by the government to change the mindset of the voters who favoured the Opposition. He said this story was being spread so that the people would get the impression that casting their vote would be a useless exercise in the situation where the results would be altered with the aid of the computer. “This is why people should go to polling stations and use their vote wisely,” he said.

Responding to a question raised by journalists as to whether the allegation made by the joint opposition after the last presidential election that the results were altered with the aid of computers was false, Mr. Samaraweera said the government was able to do anything they wished as the opposition agents in the counting centres were not present after midnight. He said some agents were chased away by the government supporters at some

this story was being spread so that the people would get the impression that casting their vote would be a useless exercise

counting centres. “In this situation the ruling party could have done anything,” he said.

Mr. Samaraweera therefore said the UNP was able to win the Colombo Municipal council in 2011 as their agents were present at the counting centres until the counting was over.

New Left Front Leader and Dehiwala Mount Lavinia Municipal Council Member Dr. Wickramabahu Karunaratne said the actions of the Elections Commissioner to stop several unlawful activities of some ruling party supporters had proved that the provincial council election were going to be fraudulent.