The local election watchdog Peoples Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) charged that action taken by the police to deal with election law violations at the Uva Provincial council was not adequate and police officers had been compelled to act in favour of some candidates.

“Although the Police Chief and Elections Commissioner had taken measures to mitigate election law violations, the action of some police officers are biased because of the political influence, especially in Moneragala. They fear what would become if they didn’t follow political orders,” PAFFREL Executive Director Rohana Hettiarachchi told a news conference today.

Hettiarachchi also said Government officers were frequently being used in the government’s election campaign. “It is unfortunate that people considered as intellectual, such as university lectures are keeping silent instead of criticising such moves,” he said.  

He also charged that development activities were used by the government to promote its candidates’ images. “Development projects should be carried out in the country but they shouldn’t be used to uplift the images of candidates,” he said.(Darshana Sanjeewa)