The UNP and SLMC yesterday promised street protests to highlight "widespread ballot rigging by UPFA gangs comprising ministers, parliamentarians and the TMVP", at Saturday’s Eastern Provincial Council Election (EPCE).

Leaders of the UNP and SLMC Ranil Wickremesinghe and Rauff Hakeem told a news conference in Colombo, that the time had come for them to take to the streets and highlight the governments election malpractices, human rights violations and also the unberable cost of living.

"Government ministers, parliamentarians, TMVP cadres and their goon squads had a field day stuffing ballot boxes to their heart’s content, while presiding officers and the police simply looked on"

They said that ballots were stuffed at 99 polling centres and 271 booths did not have Opposition polling agents due to government threats