No room to indulge in malpractices at counting centres - Polls monitoring group

The Centre for Monitoring Free and Fair Elections and Democratic Rights in its interim report on the Presidential Poll has stated that the institution has observed that there was no room whatsoever to indulge in malpractices at counting centers.

The interim report of the Centre for Monitoring Free and Fair Elections and Democratic Rights (MENIKE) jointly issued by its chairman H. K. Chandrasiri de Silva and Secretary A. K. S. Jayasena as follows:

On the elections day MENIKE through its network of monitors received 32 confirmed incidents out of which four were of serious nature.

However those incidents had no bearing whatsoever on the final result of the election.

It is noted that the campaign leaders of the two main candidates i.e. candidate of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA), the incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the candidate of the New Democratic Front (NDF) Sarath Fonseka, have publicly acknowledged that the election was conducted in a very peaceful and calm environment.

Two foreign observer groups from the Commonwealth Secretariat and Association of Asian Election Authorities as well as the local monitoring groups too have expressed the view that the election was free and fair.

It is also noted that the post poll violence, which is a common feature in the past Sri Lankan Elections, was relatively low at the present Election.

However, MENIKE regrets to note that as a result of a hand grenade attack, two UPFA supporters including a Buddhist priest died and a vehicle of an opposition Member of Parliament was shot at after the poll.

Even though there are complaints by the NDP candidate with regard to the manner in which the votes were counted, MENIKE has observed that there was no room whatsoever to indulge in malpractices at the counting centers.

According to the Commissioner of Elections immediately after the poll a special sticker was affixed on the ballot box and the ballot boxes were transported to the respective counting centers accompanied by the representatives of the two main candidates.

Each counting center comprised several counting rooms and at the respective counting rooms the ballot boxes were opened in the presence of the counting agents of the candidates and the count was also done in their presence.

MENIKE observed that the immediately after the final count of the respective counting room the officer-in-charge prepares a report on several self carboned papers, which indicates the total number of votes polled by each candidate from that counting room.

The officer-in-charge as well as the counting agents of the candidates certify that the accuracy of that report and copies are given to the counting agents of the two main candidates and a copy is exhibited at a conspicuous place.

Once the entire count of a polling division is concluded the returning officer prepares and certifies a report and displayed same to the Election Commissioner in order to declare the results of that polling division (electorate).

In these circumstances MENIKE is of the view that there is no room whatsoever to manipulate the counting of votes in favour of any candidate.

MENIKE wishes to thank the Election Commissioner and the law enforcement authorities for the steps taken to ensure that the poll is conducted without any violent incident and/or in violation of election laws.

MENIKE also wishes to commend the Election Commissioner for his decision to use self carboned papers to record the results of each counting room enabling the entire counting process to be carried out in a transparent manner and requests him to follow a similar process at the future elections.