JVP: Prez ordered Govt. Printer not to cooperate with EC

‘Instructions given in the presence of AG’

JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, MP, yesterday (15) alleged that President Ranil Wickremesinghe had personally directed Government Printer Gangani Liyanage to stop printing ballot papers.

Jathika Jana Balavegaya (JJB) MP Dissanayake alleged that the instructions were issued at a meeting also attended by Presidential Secretary Saman Ekanayake, Treasury Secretary Mahinda Siriwardana and Attorney General Sanjay Rajaratnam, PC.

MP Dissanayake said that President Wickremesinghe had directly intervened after having failed to sabotage the process by other means.

Addressing the media at the JVP headquarters, Pelawatte, MP Dissanayake said the Government Printer had informed Election Commission Chairman Nimal Punchihewa that the continuation of printing could cause an issue as the conducting of LG polls was a matter before the Supreme Court.

MP Dissanayake asked how the Government Printer had arrived at such a conclusion unless she had been brought under pressure.

Declaring that the Parliament was responsible for public funds, the JVPer emphasised that the Government Printer, and the Treasury Secretary shouldn’t under any circumstances back President Wickremesinghe’s agenda.

The Opposition lawmaker alleged that the President’s move had the backing of those 134 MPs who voted for him, at the July 20 election, to elect a person to complete the remainder of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s term.

(SF)