Sri Lankan Appeal Court decides to inquire Batticaloa election petition

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 June 2008, 10:34 GMT]
The Court of Appeal Tuesday decided to hold inquiry into the petition filed against the results of the Batticaloa district in the East Provincial Council election held on May 10. Two petitioners who contested the election from the Batticaloa district on the opposition party ticket have sought the court to annul the results as no fair and free election was not held in the district due to the presence of a paramilitary grou. Justice Ranjit Silva fixed the inquiry on July 11, legal sources said.

The petitioners have cited Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, Chief Minister of the Eastern Provincial Council, Commissioner of Elections, Batticaloa Government Agent and several government and police officers related to the poll conducted in the district as respondents.

Petitioners further state in their suit settled by Counsel G.G.Arulpragasam that the presence of the armed group led by Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan had not allowed voters the freedom to cast their franchise without fear on the polling day. Large scale rigging and intimidation had taken place with the support of the armed group.

The Court of Appeal earlier decided to hold inquiry into the petitions filed against the Ampaa'rai district results of the EPC election and fixed the inquiry for a latter date.