The police Financial Crimes Investigations Division decided to postpone the summons issued to former parliamentarians Namal Rajapaksa and Wimal Weerawansa following instructions by the Elections Commissioner.

 

Police Spokesperson ASP Ruwan Gunasekara said that the Elections Commissioner instructed the FCID not to summon candidates of the general election until the election is over.

 

Weerawansa and Rajapaksa alleged that the summoning by the FCID during the election period was an attempt to jeopardize their election campaigns.

The practice of hooting the speakers at election rallies spread to the United National Party stage yesterday at Polonnaruwa. This was followed by a clash among two groups of party supporters.

 

A group hooted UNP Polonnaruwa District Chief Organiser, Deputy Minister Vasantha Senanayake, when he rose to speak at an election rally near the Kaduruwela bus stand.

 

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe also visited the rally following the incident. However, the rally took place without further incident.

 

A clash occurred after the rally between supporters of Senanayake and Nalaka Kolonne, who is also contesting the election under the UNP ticket. Three supporters of Kolonne were injured at the clash and were admitted to hospital.

President Maithripala Sirisena is likely to make another special statement on the election within the next few days, Presidential Secretariat sources said.

 

Sirisena has expressed serious displeasure for using his image without his knowledge for a United People’s Freedom Alliance election advertisement.

 

His advisers have told him to make a statement before August 15 since it would be a violation of election laws if he did after the campaign ends.

 

Therefore, if Sirisena decides to make a statement, it will be done within the next few days, sources also said.

Former UNP Parliamentarian Nalin Bandara refuted the allegation by the UPFA that a political leaflet shows him brandishing pistols and shooting to the sky along with several of his supporters.

 

Speaking to Asian Mirror, Bandara said that the photograph was taken on May 1, 2014, during the UNP May Day rally. He was acting out the ‘toy pistol incident’ at Hambantota along with some of his supporters, Bandara said.

 

He recalled that the former UNP MPs who visited Hambantota Habour and Mattala Airport were threatened by the Mayor of Hambantota on April 17, 2014. The Mayor had brandished a pistol, which was later described as a toy pistol.

 

Bandara said that he was acting out this incident at the May Day rally held merely two weeks afterwards. It was a photograph taken at the May Day rally that was used in the leaflet, he added.

 

He also said that the UPFA is trying to find non-existing reasons to attack the government in the face of defeat.

Police Media spokesperson ASP Ruwan Gunasekara told Asian Mirror that legal action will be taken against several Buddhist monks including Bodu Bala Sena General Secretary Galagodaatte Gnanasara Thera for allegedly violating election laws and obstructing the police.

 

The alleged incident occurred on Saturday (8) evening at Andawela in Welipanna Police Division. According to Police, permission was sought and granted for a meeting of the Bodu Jana Peramuna in the area on that evening. However, the meeting had shifted to the nearby temple. This is a clear violation of election laws, ASP Gunasekara said.

 

The police had opposed this and a debate ensued. In the meantime, Galagodaatte Gnanasara Thera had arrived at the scene and had scolded the police. A video released on the internet had apparently captured the incident.

 

Police today informed Matugama Magistrate of this incident and sought notice to be issued for the individuals allegedly involved in the incident. The Magistrate informed that there was sufficient reason for even an arrest, Gunasekara said.

 

The Magistrate would be taking up the inquiry pertaining to the incident on August 25, Gunasekara further said.

Minister of Mass Media and Information Gayantha Karunathilaka said that the former UPFA government should be blamed for importing sub-standard fertilizer which has caused the spreading of the kidney disease.

 

Speaking at a press briefing in Galle, the Galle District UNP candidate said that it was ironical to see the UPFA accusing the present government of trying to discontinue the fertilizer subsidy.

 

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa recently said that the UNP was planning to destroy the agricultural sector. The UNP manifesto does not say a word on the fertilizer subsidy, Rajapaksa claimed, saying that it was a sign that the UNP was planning to discontinue it.

 

However, Karunathilaka today refuted this allegation.

Deputy Minister of Justice Sujeewa Senasinghe filed a Fundamental Rights petition today on the recent incident where he had allegedly obstructed a police sergeant and verbally assaulted him.

 

Senasinghe, in his petition, said that on July 15, at about 9.45pm, he was on his way to an election meeting at Habarakada with a group of supporters. A police sergeant had questioned the driver of a vehicle in his convoy which had sound equipment. The police sergeant had tried to arrest the driver saying that it was illegal to use the sound equipment.

 

However, Senasinghe claims in his petition that necessary permission had been given by the Elections Commissioner.

 

Senasinghe claims that he was on another vehicle at the time of the incident. He had pointed out to the policeman that he had the necessary permission.

 

Senasinghe also claims that the policeman was under the influence of alcohol at the time. He said that he called Mirihana Police SSP to conduct a squad visit to ascertain the matter. However, police did not carry out a visit, Senasinghe claims.

 

Senasinghe said that the policeman had later lodged a false complaint against him.

 

He requests the Supreme Court to order the IGP to carry out disciplinary action against the police sergeant.

A woman has reportedly made a complaint alleging that several people led by Western Provincial Councilor and UNFGG candidate Hirunika Premachandra entered her house and caused property damage.

 

The woman, a resident of Polwaththa, Rajagiriya, told media that the incident happened just after an election campaign which held yesterday in the area.

 

“My son was attacked by a supporter of Premachandra while we were engaging in a campaign for UPFA. Afterwards, their side had lodged a complaint with the police saying that my son damaged their properties,” she told media.

 

After the police took her son in to the custody she said that she also went to the police. And then she received a telephone call from a neighbor that a mob led by Premachandra was damaging her house, she added.

 

The woman also said that she lodged a complaint with the police and the Election Secretariat about the incident.

UNP Colombo District candidate Dr. Harsha de Silva said that a laundry bill exceeding Rs. 600,000 has been received by the Prime Minister’s office recently.

 

The bill, for the last three months of the year 2014 were from the same laundry, he added. The bill for November exceeded Rs. 300,000 even after a 25 percent discount was given, Dr. de Silva said further.

 

The total of the bill was Rs. 632,575, he also said.

 

D. M. Jayaratne of the UPFA was serving as the Prime Minister during the said period.