The Jathika Nidahas Peramuna (JNP), a party of the ruling coalition, yesterday requested Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake to ensure the transparency in counting preferential votes through special measures at the upcoming election so that noboy could raise doubts about possible distortion of results.

JNP leader Wimal Weerawansa told Daily Mirror after the meeting that the Commissioner agreed to use carbon paper, as at the presidential election, to mention the election results of counting centres each and obtain several copies of them to be handed over to the relevant persons such as the party agents.

The Elections Commissioner introduced this system at the Presidential Election to allay fears among the parties and their supporters that results could be distorted with the connivance of officials attached to the counting centres.

Accordingly, at each counting centre, the result was mentioned in a special carbon paper and six copies were obtained. The counting agents of the three parties which topped the list were given these copies each.

One copy was displayed at the notice board of the counting centre and another sent to the main office that issued results to the public on the basis of electorates.

Mr. Weerawansa said that Mr. Dissanayake agreed to continue with this system when counting preferential votes at the general election so that nobody could cast doubt about possible tampering of results.

“We also impressed upon the Commissioner that unlawful display of cut-outs and posters could lead to intra-party and inter party violence. The Commissioner agreed to make every possible effort to implement the law in this regard,” the JNP leader said.

He said that he raised some other issues with the Commissioner, but declined to give details about them.

Asked about the possibility of some moneyed candidates using inducements to win over voters, Mr. Weerawansa said that the election law has no enough teeth to deal with such matters. He stressed the need to introduce new provisions to the existing law as a result.

Courtesy: Daily Mirror