Sri Lankan leftist party to go to court on presidential poll

Sri Lankan leftist party JVP or the People's Liberation Front said on Thursday that it would go to the Supreme Court against the results of last week's presidential election which saw the opposition's common candidate former Army Commander General Sarath Fonseka being defeated by the incumbent Mahinda Rajapaksa with a large majority.

JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva told reporters that they accepted Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake's challenge to go to court without further delay.

Dissanayake on Wednesday urged the opposition or any other party who did not accept the election results as accurate to file a legal action within three weeks from the announcement of the election result in accordance with Sri Lanka's Elections law.

Responding to Dissanayake's statement, Silva said they are gathering details to prove the election was rigged by the government and malpractice took place during the entire process of the election.

"We have several indications to prove the presidential election was not free and fair and its result is not accurate and we will produce them in court," Silva said, adding that they will take legal action within the next 14 days.

Silva said they also hope to go to court against harassment by the government on their members.

He alleged that the officers attached to the Presidential Security Division and Ministerial Security Division assaulted their Urban Council member Chandradasa Naiduwawadu in the southern coastal town of Ambalangoda on Jan. 25 and he died on Feb. 2.

"This is just one incident. All over the country our members were harassed by the supporters of the ruling coalition and their property was damaged," Silva said.

However, Transport Minister and Treasurer of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, the main party of the ruling coalition, Dullas Alahapperuma denied the JVP's allegations, saying the election held last Tuesday was free and fair.

Source: Xinhua