Can’t call this a free and fair election: PAFFREL
Election monitors said yesterday that Saturday’s elections to the North-Central, Sabaragamuwa and Eastern Provincial Councils could not be considered free and fair despite the decrease in reports of pre-election violence and violations of election law. They said the elections in the North Central and Sabaragamuwa provinces would mainly be a tussle between the two main political parties while the election in the Eastern Province would be closely fought.
People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) said 21 election-related incidents were reported from the Eastern Province during the previous elections while five were reported this year. It said 51 election-related incidents were reported from the North-Central Province during the previous elections while six were reported this year.
PAFFREL Execu-
PAFFREL alleged that the newly-recruited graduates and public servants had been ordered to campaign on behalf of United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) candidates
tive Director Rohana Hettiharachchi said they had received 235 reports of election law violations of which nearly 112 were on the abuse and misuse of state resources reported mainly from Anuradhapura.
PAFFREL alleged that the newly-recruited graduates and public servants had been ordered to campaign on behalf of United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) candidates.
It thanked the police for playing an active role in reducing illegal propaganda at the start of the election period but said the police appeared to have slackened their efforts gradually towards the end.