CaFFE says many complaints were on non issuance and stealing ID cards

Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) said the violent incidents were much less than the pre-poll violence on 23 August.

“This did not happen automatically. CaFFE observes that the response of the people against violence and the manner in which various sections of the community reacted to the atrocious pre-election situation created a situation which prevented violence and violations,” the monitoring body said in a statement.

Eastern PC polls

Ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) recorded a sweeping victory in Sabaragamuwa and North Central Provincial Councils (PC) elections.

The initiation of a campaign which was neither free nor fair, launched six months ago, cannot be removed by maintaining law and order only on the day of the election   CaFFE

However, CaFFE said that the comparatively low level of violence was not an indicator that the elections were free and fair.

The intimidation of voters mainly by the ruling party supporters began six months ago during the Eastern PC elections, it added.

“The initiation of a campaign which was neither free nor fair, launched six months ago, cannot be removed by maintaining law and order only on the day of the election,” it said.

Caffe said many of the complaints on Election Day were based on non issuance and stealing of voters’ national identity cards.

Majority of the complaints were against the ruling UPFA, followed by the main opposition United National Party (UNP) and the paramilitary group turned political party Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Puligal (TMVP), it said.