By Stanley Samarasinghe
The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and the United National Party (UNP) filed two Petitions before the Court of Appeal, praying for an order declaring that the Eastern Provincial Councils election held on 10.05.2008 for the administrative Districts of Batticaloa and Ampara, as void.

Mohamed Thamby Hasen Ali, Division No. 13, Nintavur, Daya, Dharmapala K. Gamage No. 1, Dudley Senanayake Mawatha, Ampara, were the Petitioners of the Ampara District.

A.L.M. Marssok, Al Ameen Road, Kattankudy 06, M.H.S. Ismail, Public Road, Valachchena, L.T.M. Furkan, M.P.L.S. Road, Meeravodai, were the Petitioners from the Batticaloa District.

In both Petitions, Petitioners alleged incidents of general intimidation, impersonation, ballot stuffing, threats by supporters of UPFA candidates and forcibly taking away identity cards and polling cards. They have also said that UNP polling agents were chased out from the respective polling booths by the UPFA supporters.

The Petitioners alleged that supporters of the UPFA, travelling in a vehicle bearing No. 65-7293, belonging to the Department of Irrigations, created chaos and intimidated voters at polling stations.

In the Batticaloa Petition it was stated that third Respondent A. M. Hisbullah Mohamed instigated his supporters to publish various leaflets and handbills threatening candidates of other parties contesting against him, demanding them either to withdraw from the election or not to campaign against him in Kattankudy.
In those leaflets, other party candidates and their supporters were threatened with dire consequences.

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