Sri Lanka’s election commissioner (EC), Mahinda Deshapriya stated “only the police will be used for election duties” and insisted that the Sri Lankan military will only be used to “transport ballot boxes quickly from polling stations to election offices.”
Deshapriya said “the air force, navy and army will be required to transport ballot boxes from areas in the North to their respective collection offices for counting,” during his visit to Jaffna earlier this week.
Addressing the candidates’ names and party symbols seen heavily across the streets supposedly as part of 'illegal election propaganda', Deshapriya claimed that “in comparison to other regions in the country, the North has seen the greatest increase in electoral law violations.”
“These law violations are observed very commonly in Jaffna,” he added.
Deshapriya also explained that the election committee will reveal information about how those in quarantine will be able to vote and those who are self-isolating will be allocated a designated hour on election day to vote.
Recently, Tamil politicians have criticised the increased militarisation in the North-East and its negative impact and troubles it has caused to the locals.
