Sri Lanka's military on Wednesday denied any involvement in election activities amid reports of soldiers being deployed to deter Tamils from voting.
"At the request of Returning Officers the votes of the citizens living in islands off the mainland will be transported by the Navy, and if due to some constraint that an aerial assistance be needed, then the Air Force will be utilised," the military spokesperson, Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya said, reports Colombo Page.
"Other than that there is no any participation of military personnel in the Election," he said.
Election officials however, are investigating reports that the military have been deployed in Tamil areas in order to intimidate Tamil voters, reports BBC.
"I have already taken this up with the army commander, who says he has not ordered troops to deploy," Deshapriya was quoted by AFP as saying. "I hope there will be no attempt to use troops to block people voting."
"At the request of Returning Officers the votes of the citizens living in islands off the mainland will be transported by the Navy, and if due to some constraint that an aerial assistance be needed, then the Air Force will be utilised," the military spokesperson, Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya said, reports Colombo Page.
"Other than that there is no any participation of military personnel in the Election," he said.
Election officials however, are investigating reports that the military have been deployed in Tamil areas in order to intimidate Tamil voters, reports BBC.
"I have already taken this up with the army commander, who says he has not ordered troops to deploy," Deshapriya was quoted by AFP as saying. "I hope there will be no attempt to use troops to block people voting."