Parliamentary General Election 2020 – Election Day Communiqué 2

Posted on by in Interim Reports, Situation Updates and tagged .

Incidents on Election Day up to 1 p.m.

The following incidents are specific incidents received and confirmed by CMEV’s field monitors stationed at polling stations across the country:

  • CMEV received reports that 60 All Ceylon Tamil Congress supporters had arrived at ITAK supporter J Kishanthan’s house in Kalmunai, Digamadulla district at 9PM on Aug 4, assaulted several persons there & damaged property. Two persons have been hospitalised
  • CMEV received reports that Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) supporter attacked and injured two ACMC supporters at Jamaldeen Square, Pottuvil in Digamadulla district at around 2.30AM today. The victims have been hospitalised.
  • The authorised Polling Agent for National Congress M..A. Rasheed was seated inside the Al Kalam Maha Vidyala Hall 1 Polling Station in Pottuvil, Digamadula District, wearing a face mask branded with a NC candidate preference number
  • CMEV received reports that at around 8:30 am, several voters at Indrarama Viharasthanaya polling station in  Padukka in the Colombo district were receiving calls from one phone number; asking them to vote for SLPP candidate Thilanga Sumathipala.
  • CMEV received reports that a SLPP supporter was distributing model ballot papers and influencing voters to vote for the SLPP at around 8:10 am, at the polling station at Thopawewa National School in the Polonnaruwa district
  • CMEV received reports that supporters of the Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) were forcing voters to vote for the party in the vicinity of the polling station at Katpahapuram Government Tamil Mixed School Vavuniya, in the Vanni district.
  • CMEV observed Polonnaruwa Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) candidate Hameed Mohammed attempting to talk to Polling Station officials and influence voters to vote for him at the Gallalla Al-Azhar Maha Vidyalaya polling station in Polonnaruwa.
  • CMEV received reports that Nuwara-Eliya SLPP candidate C.B. Ratnayake’s supporters entered Pannala Maha Vidyalaya Hall 2 in Walpone, Nuwara-Eliya in a drunken state at around 8.30AM and acted in a disorderly manner disturbing election officials.
  • CMEV received reports that a Senior Presiding Officer at a polling station in Thalpawila was influencing elderly voters, asking them to vote for SLPP Matara district candidate Nipuna Ranawaka. The SPO followed said voters to the ballot box and watched whilst they cast their vote.
  • CMEV observers report that Kurunegala SLPP candidate Mahinda Rajapaksa is traveling across the Nikawaretiya electorate with an unauthorised large number of supporters and vehicles, and has visited Mahasen National School Halls 1 & 2 Polling Stations
  • CMEV received reports that Puttalam Ulukkapalam Muslim MV& Anamaduwa Siyabalagaswewa Community Hall polling stations were small, no social distancing maintained, election officials didn’t follow #COVID19 health guidelines and health inspectors did not intervene.

Further information on the types, perpetrating parties and locations of the incidents CMEV has recorded is detailed in the charts below:

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