No military interference in Sri Lanka poll: EC chief
25 Aug 2013 4:30 AM IST
Sri Lankan Election Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya has refuted allegations that the military was influencing the campaigning in the northern provincial council elections.
‘The military has not interfered or has (not) threatened candidate or voters,’ Deshapriya said at the end of an inspection tour in the region. He, however, admitted that his department had received complaints about alleged intimidation by the Army.
‘There were complaints but generalised and nothing specific about the complaints,’ Deshapriya added.
He said the Army could move into areas of election only with his approval where he had to make such a request for deployment through the police chief.
Asked by reporters on a specific case of alleged quizzing of candidates by the Army, Deshapriya said he was probing the alleged incident.
‘The military has not interfered or has (not) threatened candidate or voters,’ Deshapriya said at the end of an inspection tour in the region. He, however, admitted that his department had received complaints about alleged intimidation by the Army.
‘There were complaints but generalised and nothing specific about the complaints,’ Deshapriya added.
He said the Army could move into areas of election only with his approval where he had to make such a request for deployment through the police chief.
Asked by reporters on a specific case of alleged quizzing of candidates by the Army, Deshapriya said he was probing the alleged incident.
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