FR case against local polls in Amparai district

[TamilNet, Thursday, 12 February 2004, 03:07 GMT]
Four voters of Amparai district Wednesday filed a Fundamental Rights violation case in Sri Lanka's Supreme Court, seeking a stay order against holding elections to seven local government authorities on February 22, legal sources said.

Mr.A.K.Mohamed Sameem and three other voters filed this action, citing the Election Commissioner and three other respondents, legal sources said.

The local government councils scheduled to go to polls on February 22 are: Kalmunai Municipal Council and Pradeshiya Sabahs of Sammanthurai, Akkaraipattu, Pottuvil, Addalichchenai, Nintavur and Thirukovil in the Ampara district in the eastern province, government sources said.

The petitioners have said in their request that the voting rights of more than ten thousand persons including those who have been qualified to vote after 2002 would be deprived of their rights if polling to these local bodies are allowed to be held on the voters' list prepared in the year 2002.

Hence, the petitioners argue, the court should issue a stay order against holding the polls in the seven local authorities' areas as scheduled, legal sources said.

The petitioners have prayed to court to order one million rupees as compensation to them, sources said.

The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) has been holding election propaganda meetings in the areas where the local government elections are scheduled to be held on February 22, sources said.