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.