Elections Commissioner threatens to withdraw from duties Wednesday, 13 January 2010 01:07
By Kelum Bandara
UPFA Secretary and Minister, Susil Premajayantha, leaves the Elections Secretariat after meeting Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake.
Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake threatened, yesterday, to withdraw from his duties related to the Presidential Election asserting that the authorities concerned had not aided him by adhering to the guidelines and regulations issued by him to create an atmosphere conducive to a free and fair election.
Mr. Dissanayake, at a meeting with the representatives of political parties, expressed his disgust and disappointment over the failure of the government to cooperate with him in this respect.
However, he withdrew his threat after the political parties assured him that they would abide by the election laws in the run up to the
election. Mr. Dissanayake had reportedly told the meeting that the Competent Authority appointed by him had been humiliated by the state media.
UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake told reporters after the meeting, that the Commissioner had come under pressure by some government elements who had obstructed him in the discharge of his duties.
“The Commissioner took up all these issues with the representatives of the political parties at the meeting and explained how helpless he was in the present circumstances,” said Mr. Attanayake.
According to Mr. Atrtanayake, Mr. Dissanayake had criticized the abuse of state resources -- despite his instructions to ministry secretaries regarding this matter.
Mr. Ravi Karunanayake MP (UNP) said the Commissioner had warned the government on this matter.
The Opposition said that they had also tape recorded Mr. Dissanayake’s remarks that were critical of the government.
However, UPFA Secretary and Education Minister Susil Premajayantha said that the Commissioner had vowed to use his powers to conduct the election in a free atmosphere, without interference from anyone.
“We all agreed to co-operate with him to hold a free and fair election. The police were given instructions to remove unlawful cut-outs and posters. The Commissioner also agreed to arrange a meeting between IGP Mahinda Balasuriya and representatives of political parties on January 16,” he said.
Mr. Premajayantha said that the Commissioner had sorted out some of the problems, and even spoken to the police over the phone during their discussions – which, he said, were cordial.
-----------------------------------------------
Act impartially, say retired police officers
The retired senior police officers’ association yesterday called upon members of all ranks in the police service to act impartially and implement and enforce the law without fear or favour.
“The President and the members of the Executive Committee of the Retired Senior Police Officers’ Association (RSPOA) being concerned and perturbed at the allegations and accusations levelled against members of the Police service, where we served our best period of our
life, call upon the mem bers of all ranks to act impartially and implement and enforce the law without fear or favour,” the association’s President Muni Gomes said in a statement.
“Maintain law and order according to the law of the land. Do not be a party to any wrong-doing or do not ignore or overlook any violations of the law. You, the members of the Police service are the custodians of the law. The law abiding citizens of our country expect the Police to conduct themselves during the pre election and post election periods to prevent and curb violence and to bring to book the perpetrators of criminal and violent acts. We are confident that the Police service will rise to the occasion and regain the lost prestige and image by acting impartially and maintaining law and order as expected by the majority of the silent law abiding citizens of our Country,” the statement further said:
Daily Mirror.lk
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment