90 arrested in Sri Lanka ahead of prez polls

Colombo, Nov 15 (IANS) At least 90 people have been arrested in Sri Lanka in connection with several crimes relating to the presidential election, which will be held in the island country on Saturday, police said on Friday.

The police have received over 100 complaints from the public over threats by political party supporters, since presidential candidates handed over their nominations for the polls early last month and since then, to date, 90 political supporters have been arrested, Police Spokesperson Ruwan Gunasekara told journalists in Colombo.

The supporters were arrested for crimes such as threatening the public, intimidation, assault and pressurising voters to favour certain candidates.

Over 60,000 police officers have been deployed across the country since Thursday for the presidential polls and those committing crimes or violations will face arrest and legal charges, Gunasekara said.

"Security has been beefed up to the maximum and we urge all citizens and political parties to maintain calm so that polls can be free and fair," he added.

Gunasekara further said that police would video any violations committed during polls on Saturday and this would be produced in court as evidence to pursue legal action against offenders.

A total of 35 candidates will be contesting Sri Lanka's Presidential Elections on Saturday. An estimated 16 million people out of the 22 million population will be eligible to vote. Over 12,000 voting centres have been established across the country for the polls.