Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake at yesterday�s press conference. 

Somawansa's insult to the Army, Prime Minister should make a public apology

(courtesy Asian Tribune) The statement JVP Leader Somawansa Amarasinghe has made in front of Mahinda Rajapakse, Presidential candidate that the Army should be sent home amounts to an insult to the Sri Lanka Army and therefore the Prime Minister should make a public apology to the nation, Tissa Attanayake, Deputy General Secretary, UNP said on Thursday.

The Army has meticulously worked to establish national security, but the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna who perpetrated the jungle law in this country has demeaned the Sri Lanka Army, Attanayake said at a press conference held at the Colombo of Office of the Leader of the Opposition.

Mr Mahinda Rajapakse is contesting with the hope of becoming the President and if Mr Rajapakse dissociate with the statement of Mr Amarasinghe which was an order, the Prime Minister should make a public apology, Mr Attanayake said.

He said that the UNP thoroughly deplores the said statement and that it was a huge insult to the Army that worked relentlessly to ensure the national security, sovereignty and integrity of the country.

UNP spokesman, Prof G L Peiris, who also joined the press briefing said that the UNP has positively responded to the advice (Anusasanawa) made by the Viharadhipathy Nayake Thero of the Bellanwila Rajamaha Viharaya that to find solutions for all the problems of the country the two main political parties should join hands to come to consensus.

Prof Peiris said that Mr Ranil Wickramasinghe is prepared to accept each word of this Anussanawa and said that they would work out a plan to implement them. Mr Vajira Abeywardene MP was also present at the Press briefing.

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Re-poll in all violence marred centres

ELECTIONS Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake yesterday warned that he will not hesitate to go for a re-poll in polling stations marred by violence, stressing that this will delay the overall result and the appointment of the new Executive President.

"I request all party leaders, their members and supporters to act with restraint to ensure a smooth election," Commissioner Dissanayake requested adding that he has already fixed November 19 as the date for a possible re-poll.

"The reign of the current President expires on November 21. We have to release the election results before that," Dissanayake said explaining the reason for fixing the date for a re-poll well ahead.

He was briefing the press at the Elections Secretariat in Rajagiriya.

According to the 2004 electoral list some 13.3 million are eligible to vote at the forthcoming Presidential Election on November 17, 428,128 more than the number of voters at the 2004 general election.

Explaining the Supreme Court ruling on the JHU petition over the announcement of the Presidential polls date, the Commissioner said he was of the view that he had not breached the fundamental rights of any party.

"Despite allegations and rumours I had a clear idea of the election date and it was to be duly announced. It was inappropriate for me as an independent official to give into pressures," the Commissioner commented adding that he has petitioned the court on this ruling and was awaiting a response.

He said the Secretariat will make arrangements to set up cluster stations in villages bordering North-East so that people in the uncleared areas are ensured their right of franchise.

"Under the Ceasefire Agreement between the Government and the LTTE the police cannot enter uncleared areas in uniform, carrying arms to provide protection to polling stations," Dissanayake explained.

He said this has hindered setting up polling centres in convenient locations within the uncleared areas.

The locations of the cluster polling stations is to be determined by the military giving thought to safety and convenience. The voters there will also be given transport facilities to and from the polling centres.

The Polls Chief said the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the North-East will be given the choice of location to cast their vote at a site closest to their current residence and they are required to apply for this before September 26.

The deadline for postal balloting which will be for those in the police service, military, prisons Department and the CTB, will be September 28.

The Commissioner said considering the few applications received so far they plan to extend the deadline for IDPs for postal votes just once. "We can do it only once this time as we are pressed for time."

The election will be held in over 10,486 polling stations islandwide and over 100,000 staff will be deployed for election duty. In certain polling stations excluding the North and East special facilities will be made available for female voters.

The election will be held from 7.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. and the counting of ballots will start from 8.00p.m.