(Dr. Shirani A. Bandaranayake) The 9th of January marks 2 years since the unjust and unlawful impeachment vote was taken up in Parliament. It is therefore symbolic that the people have voted for a change; a change into good governance, a change into anti-corruption and a change into an independent judiciary. 730 days of vilification […]

I commend President Rajapaksa for accepting the results of the election in the proud tradition of peaceful and orderly transfers of power in Sri Lanka. His words tonight about accepting the verdict of the people and moving forward are important. says the US secretary of state, John Kerry. Issuing statement a short while ago the […]

[Ajit Nivard Cabraal and P.B.Jayasundara] Speculation was rife on Friday (morning) that Central Bank Governor Ajit Nivard Cabraal had stepped down following the defeat of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Thursday’s presidential poll. As main opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena prepared to be sworn in later on Friday evening by a Supreme Court judge as […]

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) extends its warmest congratulations to President-Elect Mr Maithripala Sirisena. The TNA extends to the people of Sri Lanka – in particular to the people of the North-East – its sincere thanks for extending their overwhelming support to President-Elect Mr Maithripala Sirisena in accordance with the advice of the TNA. The […]

Pallewatte Gamaralalage Maithripala Yapa Sisirena, Sri Lanka’s president-elect, was a low-profile cabinet colleague of longtime president Mahinda Rajapaksa until he switched sides to become joint opposition candidate and emerge as the proverbial dark horse in the presidential polls. The 63-year-old farmer-turned-politician deserted the incumbent president to take charge of the fractured opposition ahead of the […]

In an email interview with the Dailymirror, the leader of the United National Party (UNP) Ranil Wickremesinghe said that the SLFPers dissatisfied with Mahinda Rajapaksa are the crucial element in the upcoming presidential election and that Maithripala was the best man to win them over.  He added that Maithripala Sirisena’s victory would not be a […]

By TK Research and Solutions Based on our final estimation, Common Opposition Candidate Mr. Maithripala Sirisena will win the presidential election 2015 with majority of more president Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa. Total no of registered voters for presidential election, will be 15,044,490 and it is expected that 79% voters will cast their vote in the upcoming […]

Polling for the Presidential Election 2015 commenced at 7am. One incident of an explosion was reported during this period from Point Pedro, Jaffna. CMEV was informed that the explosion was caused due to a hand grenade with no injuries reported. CMEV received a report of voters being prevented from voting as more than 200 of […]

[Opposition election offcie after an attack by pro-Government gang] The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) expresses its concern over an escalation of violence ahead of the Sri Lankan presidential election today and reiterates its call to ensure media freedom and the safety of journalists during and after the election. Today, Sri Lanka votes for a […]

(Brito Fernando) Sri Lankan authorities must hold to account those who threatened three prominent activists with death today and ensure that tomorrow’s presidential elections passes without further violence, Amnesty International said. Opposition campaigners Brito Fernando, Phillip Dissanayake and Prasanga Fernando – who are all well-known human rights defenders active with families of the “disappeared” – […]

[Media protest, Sri Lanka] A journalist attached to the Wijeya Newspaper Group had been assaulted and his Media Accreditation Card taken last night, after one of his colleagues had got into an argument regarding the impending Presidential Election. Speaking to the Daily Mirror Naushad Amith said that he was assaulted at around 11.30 p.m. outside […]

The Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) and Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) have come to an agreement where the JVP would send its agents to polling booths on 8 January to monitor the polls. JHU General Secretary, Champika Ranawaka, speaking to Ceylon Today said it was…the JVP who could most successfully tackle the violence and intimidation at […]

New Delhi, Jan 7 (IANS) The winner of the Sri Lankan presidential election Thursday must first address the Tamil issue, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Vijay Jolly said Wednesday. “Whoever wins in Sri Lanka should first address the Tamil issue,” he said, wishing “all the best” to both President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the opposition candidate […]

Presidential Election 2015: Media Communique 15 7th January The day prior to polling witnessed the first fatality of the Presidential Election of 2015. Mr Shantha Dodagangoda who was critically injured in a shooting incident at Kahawatte, Ratnapura on the morning of Monday 5th January, died at 3.05 pm today at the Ratnapura hospital. Although the Pelmadulla […]

[Bishop Rayappu bless Rajapaksa: caption of state news agency Lanka Puwaath- Rev. Rayappu Joseph confident of President Rajapaksa’s triumph] Derogatory remarks made about Bishop Rayappu Joseph of Mannar diocese. Common opposition candidate Mr. Maithripala Sirisena on an election campaign to the north met the Mannar Bishop Rayappu Joseph on 30 December and sought his blessings […]

CaFFE Election Report # 61 Mr. Shantha Dodangoda, a UNP supporter who was shot at Kahawatte on January 5 while preparing the election stage of the Common Opposition Candidate, Maithripala Sirisena, passed away at Ratnapura hospital today. Dodangoda was the Chairman of the Kahawatte Traders Association. Deputy Minister, Premalal Jayasekara and his supporters are alleged […]

Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya today gave a red light to the Military saying it cannot prevent people from voting. “Even the Military cannot stop you from voting. If they ask you to stop voting due to security reasons, you have the right to ignore their warnings,” the Elections Commissioner said addressing a press conference at […]

At the end of campaigning, CMEV documented 420 incidents of violence (20th November 2014 5 January 2015), with 237 categorised as major incidents and 183 as minor incidents. Highest number of major incidents were reported from Jaffna District with 22 incidents followed by Badulla District with 19 incidents, Kurunegala 18 incidents and 17 incidents in […]

Presidential Election 2015: Media Communiqué 14 7th January 2015 Since the completion of campaigning, CMEV received several major incidents involving assault, threat and intimidation, damage to property, and misuse of state resources. All incidents reported to CMEV are instances where opposition party members and supporters were attacked, threatened and property damaged. CMEV is concerned at […]

[Violence in the lead-up to the Jan. 8 presidential election in Sri Lanka has poll monitors on edge. Credit: Amantha Perera/IPS] By Amantha Perera- COLOMBO, Jan 6 2015 (IPS) – As 14.5 million Sri Lankans prepare to select their next leader, there is growing fear that violence could mar the Jan. 8 elections, billed as […]

[Military in Vanni Associated Press – A monitoring group expressed concerns Tuesday that the military presence in the former war zone of northern Sri Lanka may lower voter turnout in the presidential election Thursday. Pakiasothy Saravanamuttu from the Centre for Monitoring Election Violence said that concerns have been raised about the vote in the north […]

[Prediction: The Result of Presidential Election 2015] An Independent Research Conducted by Abu Ayman, M.Phil., Electoral Political Analyst. “Declining Popularity” is the accepted parameter in the electoral political analysis. At the first presidential election which held in 1982, J.R. Jayawardena was able to obtain 52.91% votes, although his party got a land slide victory with […]

Rajapaksa has failed in post-war reconciliation, Tamils feel. However, many of them don’t see this as ‘their election’ and can’t see how their lives will change after the polls After Sri Lanka’s brutal war ended five years ago, President Mahinda Rajapaksa gave the Tamil majority North better roads, rail connections and electricity. However, people of […]

Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) A press briefing was held by CMEV today at the JAIC Hilton around the monitoring operations for the Presidential Election, which will be held on 8th January 2015. Recordings of the briefing are embedded below. Please note that the Q&A segment doesn’t always pick up the question posed to […]

Sri Lanka’s election commissioner has agreed to a set of proposals aimed at holding a transparent vote counting process, the bar association of Sri Lanka said. The proposals for the upcoming presidential election include, polls monitors to be informed of the results of the counting centers before making it officially announced. “All the proposals forwarded […]

by Arjuna and Kshama Ranawana – For the first time since Mahinda Rajapaksa ascended the Presidency in 2006 he faces a strong threat to his office. This was not the case when he called the election two years before it was due, confident of re-election owing to a deeply fractured opposition. But that has changed […]

CMEV: Presidential Election 2015: Media Communiqué 13 /6th January 2015 The Presidential Election campaign ended at midnight with several major incidents reported. At the end of campaigning, CMEV documented a total of 420 incidents, with 237 major incidents and 183 minor incidents. The highest number of major incidents were reported from Jaffna District with 22 […]

Sri Lankan journalists who were killed and disappeared in the line of duty including Dharmaratnam Sivaram (Taraki) editor of Tamilnet, Lasantha Wickrematunga, Editor of the Sunday Leader and Prageeth Egnaligoda, Cartoonist and political analysts were remembered at Colombo vigil held this evening at Viharamahadevi Park opposite the Town Hall.The Colombo Vigil has been organised by […]

[go early to your polling booths and vote for Maithripala Sirisena – Wigneswaran] My dear brothers and sisters , “At the outset I must say that the TNA as a coalition party has made a decision to support the common candidate Maithripala Sirisena” My dear brothers and sisters, We live in confusing times.   Oppressed, threatened, […]

Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam’s Prime Minister Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran Clarifies. There is a serious allegation made by the members of the opposition alliance claimed that the secret agreement has signed between the government led by the President Rajapaksa and the Prime Minister of Provisional Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) while quoting a “secret email”. […]