Elections Commissioner has not granted permission for EU monitors says Mangala

SLFP (M) Wing Leader Mangala Samaraweera said the Elections Commissioner had not granted permission to the European Union (EU) poll observers to arrive in Sri Lanka to monitor the April 8 general elections.

Samaraweera said, “We have reliable information that the international election monitors have not yet been given permission to monitor the general elections by the Elections Commissioner.”

He observed that the government was conspiring to stop the EU poll monitors from arriving in the country to observe the April 8 elections.
      “After the Presidential election, people have asked to safeguard their votes and we have informed the Elections Commissioner that we needed more foreign monitors,” he said.

Samaraweera said that although the EU has agreed to send poll observers, the Elections Commissioner has not permitted it.

“If the Elections Commissioner fails to grant permission for the EU delegation by Friday, the EU would not be able to send in a group of poll observers,” he said.