"No computer manipulation of votes" Latest News From Sri Lanka-30.01.2010

The Elections Secretariat has dismissed Opposition allegations that the government and the elections staff had manipulated the results of the Tuesdays Presidential polls.

The President received a resounding victory at the polls conducted on Tuesday. The majority of votes polled by him was in the region of 1.8 million. However, certain leaders in the Opposition camp said that the results which had been prepared through computers had been distorted.

However, retired top civil servant Bandula Kulatunge, now a Consultant of the Elections Secretariat, has told the Island Newspaper that counting of the ballot papers were done manually though computers too were used in the process. According to him, the use of computers is in addition to manual counting. He said it would not have been possible to manipulate the results and that the election staff had also allowed recounts.

Referring to the news conference of the Elections Commissioner on Friday prior to the Presidential election, Mr. Kulatunga said every possible measure have been adopted to ensure a free and fair election. The Elections Chief urged political parties not to make foolish excuses after losing elections. Mr. Kulatunga emphasized that results of each counting centre had been made available to the counting agents of the three top candidates who obtained the highest number of votes at a particular centre.

Meanwhile releasing the final result of the Presidential polls, the Elections Chief said that he succeeded in taking every possible to ensure the conduct of a free and fair poll.

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