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Home » NewsSovereign people give boost to presidential poll
In all parts of the country, there was a large voter turnout and long queues at the presidential election. At Minuwangoda, a young voter was so keen to pick her president that she came to the booth in her wheelchair. Pic by Priyantha Wickremarachchi.
High voter turnout for poll, rains delay counting
A major violence-free presidential election recorded a voter turnout of more than 80 percent, National Elections Commission Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya declared yesterday. It could increase to 84 or 85 percent when the postal votes were added, he said. “This is the first time we had such a peaceful election,” he said, adding that he was [...]
PM, ministers thank outgoing president
The final Cabinet meeting to be chaired by Maithripala Sirisena ended on a cordial note on Monday with the President saying he was pleased that, despite unrest and agitation by “certain groups” and, at times, disturbances in the country, such situations were dealt with without a single bullet being fired. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe also [...]
NEC responds to Ranil’s queries
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday sought clarification from the National Elections Commission over reports that the Army had suddenly put up checkpoints in the north ahead of yesterday’s presidential election. Mr Wickremesinghe called over at the Commission and met its Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya and members to ascertain if the reports had an impact on the [...]
Counting officers on standby for second count
District Returning Officers have been directed to keep their election staff on standby in the event of a requirement for a second count of the preferential votes, Elections Commissioner General Saman Ratnayake told the Sunday Times. He said that although counting officers would remain till a direction was given by the Commission to begin the [...]
NEC, monitors say Facebook violated laws on polls day
The National Election Commission yesterday expressed dissatisfaction over the failure of the social-media to heed its call to refrain from campaigning on election day. “The social media including Facebook failed to cooperate with the Elections Commission on the election day,” NEC Commissioner General Saman Sri Ratnayake told the Sunday Times. He said, however, the NEC [...]
President cites conflicts within govt. as major impediment to his programmes
Political and policy clashes between himself and members of his own administration caused serious disputes within the Government, thereby impeding the implementation of an essential programme of work on people’s behalf, President Maithripala Sirisena admitted yesterday in his final televised address to the nation. “I believe I was able to fulfil many of the promises [...]
Police to maintain the peace that prevailed during polls, says police spokesman
Policemen on duty in Colombo and below Kalutara. Pix by Ishanka Sunimal and Sunil Thantirimale Police will continue to maintain security with a ban on election meetings continuing throughout next week. Police spokesman SSP Ruwan Gunasekara said of the two police officers deployed at each polling centre one was directed to report for duty [...]
PAFFREL reports more than 100 violations of election laws
The People’s Action Front for Free and Fair Election (PAFFREL) said yesterday 101 election law violations and incidents of violence had been reported up to 3 p.m. yesterday. Of these 42 cases were confirmed. The complaints included 32 cases of illegal election propaganda, 23 cases of intimidating voters and 5 cases of attempts at impersonation, [...]
PLA navy ship Zhu Ke Zhen on goodwill visit
The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) navy ship ‘Zhu Ke Zhen’ arrived at the port of Colombo this week on an official visit, and was ceremonially welcomed by the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN), in accordance with Naval traditions. PLA Navy Maritime Surveying Division Deputy Commander Senior Captain Yang Boran and ‘Zhu Ke Zhen’ Commanding Officer called [...]
Snapshots of polling in 22 electoral districts
Long queues at most polling booths, no major incidents COLOMBO DISTRICT: The Colombo district recorded a 75 percent overall voter turnout across 1,175 polling centres, Returning Officer Sunil Kannangara said last evening. At polling centres, the atmosphere was peaceful. Most of the polling centres had multiple polling booths to accommodate the large number of [...]
The rights and wrongs of Sirisena presidency
Swearing in ceremonies of presidents are stately occasions. J.R. Jayewardene had his at Galle Face amidst much pomp and pageantry and Ranasinghe Premadasa’s was at the ‘Paththirippuwa’ at the Dalada Maligawa in Kandy. Both Chandrika Kumaratunga and Mahinda Rajapaksa were sworn in at the Presidential Secretariat in elaborate events that ran with clockwork precision. The [...]
105-year-old voter recalls past national elections
The Galle District Kalahe village’s 105-year-old one time headman Sami Siriwardena cast his vote at the presidential election yesterday, perhaps becoming the first person to cast his vote at every national election since 1947. Born in 1915 at Meepe in Galle and now residing at Kalahe, Mr. Siriwardene said he cast his vote at Sri [...]
A presidential pardon under heavy public fire
Convicted killer Shramantha Jude Anthony Jayamaha—who in 2005 rammed the head of his victim, Yvonne Jonsson, against her apartment stairs so many times that her face was left unrecognisable—won an early release from prison on a special Presidential pardon. Why him? Why now? The total number of prisoners sentenced to death, according to the Department [...]
A citizen’s duty does not end with the casting of his vote
By the time this article goes into print the country would have voted for its choice of Executive President. All that remains is for the votes to be counted and for the National Elections Commission to announce the result. Having exercised their franchise, can the citizenry now leave everything in the hands of a new [...]
Asia-Pacific naval officers gather for naval warfare symposium
Senior naval officers will meet in Colombo from November 19 to 21 for the sixth annual Asia-Pacific Symposium on International Rules of Naval Warfare. The gathering will take place at a time when concerns are being raised about possible clashes at sea and armed conflicts over disputed territorial waters, organisers say. The symposium is also [...]
Facebook holds its own law above national laws as critics slam inaction
In spite of the 48-hour ban on electioneering activity before polls opened yesterday, thousands of partisan political posts coupled with paid political advertisements were being shared by hundreds on social media, election watchdogs said. “As of now, we have recorded 556 complaints related to Facebook in addition to 112 active paid political advertisements in posts. [...]
Butterfly boom sees crowds of yellow visitors suddenly appear
Sri Lanka is experiencing a butterfly boom these days with even suburbs of congested cities such as Colombo seeing an increase in the fluttering visitors. Many of them belong to the yellow Lemon Emigrant (Catopsilia pomona) species that traditionally begin a seasonal movement at this time of year, says butterfly expert Rajika Gamage. Mr. Gamage, [...]
Jaywalking, a national past-time
Jaywalking, or the act of crossing a street without taking care to avoid hindering the smooth flow of traffic, seems to be a common trait among our fellow citizens. Despite money and time being spent to demarcate zebra crossings, pedestrian crossings, walk ways and overhead bridges, it has been noted, many pedestrians tend to observe [...]