IGP to deploy Home Guards for NorthEast election duty

[TamilNet, Saturday, 28 February 2004, 13:30 GMT]
"Home guards would be deployed to assist the police to maintain law and order during the election period in the northeast province, said the Inspector General of Police Mr.Indra de Silva, according to media sources.

Tamil candidates for the forthcoming elelctions expressed concern over this development as the Home Guards listed for security services are all Sinhalese. Introduction of Home Guards is likely to create an explosive situation in polling areas of Northeast, they added.

Meanwhile, election related violence is on the increase since the filing of nomination lists by about 28 political parties and 192 independent groups, Police Election Secretariat said Saturday.

So far 137 complaints of election related violence have been received by the police election secretariat.

In the twenty fours ending Saturday morning at 6 a.m. the secretariat received three complaints from United People Freedom Alliance and Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna. sources said.