Elections Commissioner  said there was no foul play, in the 300 ballot papers that were found marked for the “swan” in Kalagedihena, and confirmed they were counted ballots.

“The ballot cards are genuine and they were counted. That much I can confirm. There was no foul play and it has been revealed that when they were brought to be destroyed, the cards had fallen due to the carelessness of the lorry assistant,” he told Daily Mirror.

On January 24, residents discovered over 300 ballot papers from the Presidential Election 2010 cast in favour of the common Presidential Candidate Sarath Fonseka, strewn across the road near a school in Kalagedihena, which the DNA later alleged were “ruins of a rigged election”

Declaring that he would not shift the responsibility Deshapriya said, “The destroying of these papers are the responsibility of the Elections Commission, and I as Elections Commissioner take full responsibility for this carelessness” he said.

He added he could not furnish the media with further details as the matter was now pending before court.

The Attanagalla Magistrate’s Court yesterday fixed the case to be taken up on April 4. (HF)

Source: Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)