News
Preferential vote count: SJB cries foul
The SJB yesterday (22) complained to the Election Commission (EC) that officials at some counting centres had commenced the preferential vote count on their own without waiting for instruction from the EC.
SJB General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara, MP, and Eksath Janaraja Peramuna (EJP) leader Patali Champika Ranawaka, MP, lodged the complaint on behalf of SJB presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa.
A statement issued by EJP quoted the MP as having told media outside the EC that the party had brought the matter to the EC’s notice as they felt that the unauthorised counting of preferences may have been detrimental to the interests of their candidate.
Ranawaka pointed out that NPP candidate Anura Kumara Dissanayake had been able to poll only 42% of the valid votes whereas the SJB candidate secured 32% of the votes.
MP Ranawaka said those who had launched the second count violated democracy and should be appropriately dealt with.
The former minister said their intervention prompted the EC to order a fresh count. (SF)
It has been reported that former Inspector General of Police (IGP) C.D. Wickramaratne has been found dead at his residence in Athurugiriya this morning (17)
it is suspected that he may have taken his own life.
A heated argument broke out between Jaffna District MP Archchuna Ramanathan and Fisheries Minister Ramalingam Chandrasekar during the Kilinochchi District Coordination Committee meeting held yesterday (16).
A video footage of the incident shows the MP and the Minister engaging in a heated verbal exchange, following which a physical confrontation appeared to develop when the Minister attempted to grab files reportedly in the possession of MP Ramanathan.
“If you lay a hand on me, I’ll lay a hand on you too… got it?” Ramanathan is heard telling the Minister during the exchange.
Police and officials present at the meeting intervened to prevent the situation from escalating further.
The circumstances that led to the confrontation were not immediately clear.
Archbishop of Colombo Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith has filed an intervening petition before the Court of Appeal in connection with a petition filed by former head of the State Intelligence Service, Major General (Retired) Suresh Sallay, challenging his arrest and detention under the Prevention of Terrorism Act over investigations into the Easter Sunday terror attacks.
The Cardinal has sought permission from the court to make submissions in relation to Sallay’s petition and requested that it be dismissed.
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