* Sri Lanka Election Commissioner says no to foreign monitors at poll counting centers
Thu, Mar 18, 2010, 10:48 am SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

Mar 18, Colombo: Sri Lanka Election Commissioner Dayananda Dishanayake ruled has ruled out the possibility of having foreign observers at the counting centers of upcoming parliamentary polls.

The Elections Commissioner has said that none of the political parties had made such a request on the nominations day.

The main opposition United National Party has sent a written request to the Election Commissioner asking for the presence of foreign poll monitors at the counting centers to ensure the accuracy of the election results.

The Election Commissioner has turned down the request saying that the request should have been made on the day nominations were submitted.

Co-chairman of Sri Lanka's opposition alliance (UNF) and SLFP (M) Wing Leader Mangala Samaraweera accused the government of conspiring to stop the European Union poll monitors from arriving in the country to observe the April 8 elections.