EC vows to resign

17 December 2014 12:28 pm Views - 7751

Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya said today he and his officials would resign from their posts sans pension if it was proven that any malpractice or rigging had taken place at this presidential election.

 

He said this at panel discussion organised by the Sri Lanka Press Complaints Commission this morning.

 

Mr. Deshapriya assured that no malpractices would take place at this election especially when it came to transporting of ballot boxes.

 

He said a document containing the signatures of polling agents would be pasted on the boxes which would have two more seals affixed leaving little or no room for any rigging.

 

“The last occasion when the boxes were shifted and replaced took place in Sri Lanka 30 years ago and nothing of that sort has taken place in an election thereafter,” Mr. Deshpriya said adding that he was not afraid of the Government as mentioned by an opposition politician.

 

He said four candidates contesting the presidential elections did not want election monitors from the European Union because it had worked against Sri Lanka. However he said he cannot reveal any more details about this matter.

 

Mr. Deshapriya underscored the fact that the instructions given by him during an election must come in the form of legislation approved by Parliament or they should be made binding by the judiciary as it was in India. (Yohan Perera)