Campaign for a Free and Fair Election (CaFFE) releasing its final report on Uva Provincial Elections stated that this election recorded a significantly higher number of election violence and misuse of public property than any other provincial election over the past two years.

CaFFE also stated that the incidents of violence were mostly reported from Moneragala District while the situation in Badulla District was relatively satisfactory.

Meanwhile, CaFFE reported that the JVP was particularly targeted, pointing out that its election offices were attacked on 27 occasions.

The report also added that CaFFE received 444 complaints on election law violations prior to the Election Day. Out of these, 313 were from Moneragala and 109 were from Badulla. Meanwhile, 22 were common to both districts. There were 81 cases of election violence, 64 of which were from Moneragala. Furthermore, CaFFE pointed out that incidents in Moneragala were more organized while in Badulla they were generally individual incidents of violence.

CaFFE report also stated that several candidates used vehicles with no number plates, forged number plates or garage numbers to intimidate opponents and their supporters. The Police and the Elections Department turned a blind eye and did not produce accurate reports of such incidents, CaFFE has accused.

Furthermore, CaFFE stressed that despite the orders against vehicle processions, the Police was indirectly supporting such incidents by turning a blind eye.

The CaFFE report also listed out the incidents of distributing “drought relief” in such a way that it promoted the UPFA. In the latter part of the report, CaFFE has listed out the incidents of election law violence on the Election Day and post-election violence as well.

CaFFE concludes that this election is ample evidence to the notion that the 17th Amendment should be re-introduced and the 18th Amendment repealed if a free and fair election process is to be established.