09-25-2003, 03:21 AM
[size=18]Rigged Ballots Favours LTTE's Balasingham in Oslo
Bandula Jayasekara in Colombo, SLT 7.00 A.M Thursday 25 September. The democratic Norway got the shock of its life when rigged ballot papers were found for the first time in the Scandinavian country's unparallel election history. Election officials found ballot papers in the polling station that had the name of Labour Party-politician, LTTEer Balasingham Yogarajah already marked on them. Some voters, who wanted to vote for Labour Party and picked up the ballot paper of that party, found that somebody had already cross-marked in favour of the candidate No 21 Yogarah Balasingham, the LTTE leader in Norway who contested on Labour Party ticket.
Dagsavisen newspaper has highlighted this blatant malpractice by a naturalized citizen of Norway, which tantamount to a slap on not only the Labour Party but also a naked betrayal of Norwegian society which provided shelter and economic haven to Tamil militants. In a news story titled 'Found pre-arranged voting ballots for the Labour Party candidate Balasingham Yogarah', two journalists Karen R. Tjernshaugen and Nina Johnsrud, says that Yogarajah was placed as the Labour Party's 21st candidate on their list in Oslo, and won a seat in the city council after having received several extra votes. With 2.470 personal votes he received the most preferential votes after two Labour Party stalwarts, Ellen Horn and Rune Gerhardsen.
The election officials at Linderud Centre in Oslo were horrified when a voter, Ole Elvedal complained that there were several pre-arranged Labour Party-ballots with votes for Balasingham already marked at the booth. According to the election law it is permitted to deliver prearranged preferential ballots to voters on the street, but such ballot papers cannot be brought into the polling centers. Speaking to Dagsavisen, the voter said, "When I went into the voting cubicle and selected a Labour party ballot paper to vote that party and its candidates, I discovered that candidate No. 21 was already marked with a cross. I went through the entire bunch of ballots, and found three ballots that were already marked and then I brought it to the notice of the officials".
The crosses were marked rather weakly with a ballpoint pen. Many voters would not have noticed them but the computer system, which counts preferential votes, would have easily recognized the cross as a vote for Balasingham. Furthermore the Dagsavisen reported that Tone Darling, information secretary in Bjerke constituency also confirmed that election officials on two occasions have found Labour Party-ballots in booths with a cross mark against Yogarajah's name. She felt that the prearranged ballots were placed in the booth just before the voter who complained had entered the booth. "We were aware that someone tried to place prearranged preferential ballots," Ms Darling told the newspaper. "Hence we checked the booths regularly to prevent such malpractices".
Balasingham, who is also known as Bhaskaran, strongly rejected that he in any way was involved in rigging. "I am not aware of this. Some of my enemies may have done this to hurt me," he said when questioned by Dagsavisen. However, moderate Tamils in Norway who canvassed for parties like Socialist Left, said it was ridiculous to say enemies had rigged votes in favour of Balasingham. "The rigging by the LTTE has made the entire Tamil community lepers in the eyes of Norwegians," a leading Tamil professional in Oslo said. "This also proves once again that LTTE has no respect whatsoever for democracy. In addition Balasingham was the only candidate who provided transport to the voters which is not a practice in Norway.
http://www.theacademic.org/#10644503570
Bandula Jayasekara in Colombo, SLT 7.00 A.M Thursday 25 September. The democratic Norway got the shock of its life when rigged ballot papers were found for the first time in the Scandinavian country's unparallel election history. Election officials found ballot papers in the polling station that had the name of Labour Party-politician, LTTEer Balasingham Yogarajah already marked on them. Some voters, who wanted to vote for Labour Party and picked up the ballot paper of that party, found that somebody had already cross-marked in favour of the candidate No 21 Yogarah Balasingham, the LTTE leader in Norway who contested on Labour Party ticket.
Dagsavisen newspaper has highlighted this blatant malpractice by a naturalized citizen of Norway, which tantamount to a slap on not only the Labour Party but also a naked betrayal of Norwegian society which provided shelter and economic haven to Tamil militants. In a news story titled 'Found pre-arranged voting ballots for the Labour Party candidate Balasingham Yogarah', two journalists Karen R. Tjernshaugen and Nina Johnsrud, says that Yogarajah was placed as the Labour Party's 21st candidate on their list in Oslo, and won a seat in the city council after having received several extra votes. With 2.470 personal votes he received the most preferential votes after two Labour Party stalwarts, Ellen Horn and Rune Gerhardsen.
The election officials at Linderud Centre in Oslo were horrified when a voter, Ole Elvedal complained that there were several pre-arranged Labour Party-ballots with votes for Balasingham already marked at the booth. According to the election law it is permitted to deliver prearranged preferential ballots to voters on the street, but such ballot papers cannot be brought into the polling centers. Speaking to Dagsavisen, the voter said, "When I went into the voting cubicle and selected a Labour party ballot paper to vote that party and its candidates, I discovered that candidate No. 21 was already marked with a cross. I went through the entire bunch of ballots, and found three ballots that were already marked and then I brought it to the notice of the officials".
The crosses were marked rather weakly with a ballpoint pen. Many voters would not have noticed them but the computer system, which counts preferential votes, would have easily recognized the cross as a vote for Balasingham. Furthermore the Dagsavisen reported that Tone Darling, information secretary in Bjerke constituency also confirmed that election officials on two occasions have found Labour Party-ballots in booths with a cross mark against Yogarajah's name. She felt that the prearranged ballots were placed in the booth just before the voter who complained had entered the booth. "We were aware that someone tried to place prearranged preferential ballots," Ms Darling told the newspaper. "Hence we checked the booths regularly to prevent such malpractices".
Balasingham, who is also known as Bhaskaran, strongly rejected that he in any way was involved in rigging. "I am not aware of this. Some of my enemies may have done this to hurt me," he said when questioned by Dagsavisen. However, moderate Tamils in Norway who canvassed for parties like Socialist Left, said it was ridiculous to say enemies had rigged votes in favour of Balasingham. "The rigging by the LTTE has made the entire Tamil community lepers in the eyes of Norwegians," a leading Tamil professional in Oslo said. "This also proves once again that LTTE has no respect whatsoever for democracy. In addition Balasingham was the only candidate who provided transport to the voters which is not a practice in Norway.
http://www.theacademic.org/#10644503570
Truth 'll prevail


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