Police violate election laws – ‘Left Front’ members distributing handbills obstructed
Around 12.30 noon yesterday (16), Trincomalee police obstructed members of the Left Front who were distributing handbills near the market in Trincomalee town, and proceeded to seize the handbills.
The OIC of Trincomalee police had threatened, saying that distributing handbills for the presidential election is illegal, and that they would be arrested if they were caught again.
The Left Front, issuing a statement regarding this incident, points out that distributing handbills is not an illegal election activity, and the police have threatened in this manner within a situation where President Mahinda Rajapakse’s cut-outs are displayed at every lamp post.
They also say the police who have permitted such illegal methods of propaganda, are seizing legal mediums of propaganda such as handbills which are used by alternate non-elitist political forces that do not possess the ability to spend millions on propaganda.
The Left Front further points out that this situation is a violation of election laws and a blatant violation of the democratic right to hold different opinions.
