The Tamil National Alliance’s (TNA) M A Sumanthiran responded to what he called “very strange” allegations of vote-rigging this morning, as controversy continued over a dramatic late night recount in an intra-party battle over preferential votes, that saw Sri Lankan troops attack Tamils in Jaffna.

In this interview, we speak to the leader of the Tamil National Peoples’ Front (TNPF) Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, who won a seat in Sri Lanka's parliamentary elections yesterday.

We discuss the path forward for international accountability, Tamil-Muslim politics, the role of the Tamil diaspora and his response to criticism the party has faced in the past.

In this interview, we speak to the leader of the Thamizh Makkal Thesiya Kootani (TMTK), the former Supreme Court Justice and former Chief Minister of the Northern Province, C. V. Wigneswaran, who won a seat in Sri Lanka's parliamentary elections yesterday.

We discuss the prospects of international justice, Tamil-Muslim unity, economic development and his response to criticism over his tenure as Chief Minister of the Northern Province.

Hanspeter Mock, the Swiss Ambassador to Sri Lanka joined other states in congratulating the Rajapaksa brothers on their victory in yesterday's parliamentary elections. 

He tweeted: 

The Norwegian Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Trine Joranli Eskedal also tweeted:

Congratulations to the people of Sri Lanka on a peaceful parliamentary election. We are looking forward to continuing our cooperation in economic development, democracy and reconciliation for all. 

Sasikala Raviraj, widow of assassinated MP Raviraj and a TNA candidate for Jaffna in the recent parliamentary elections, has called on Illankai Tamil Arasu Kacchi (ITAK) leader, Mavai Senathirajah and the Election Commissioner (EC) to investigate the recount of preferential votes in Jaffna, last night.

The statue of former Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian and human rights lawyer, Nadarajah Raviraj was covered with several different cloths following a recount controversy involving two TNA candidates in Jaffna last night. 

Nadarajah Raviraj’s statue in Chavakachcheri was covered in black cloth on his face and red and yellow cloth on the bottom half of his statue this morning.

^{Photo: Twitter/@GotabayaR}

Police Legal Division Director SSP Ruwan Gunasekara, said that rallies and parades are banned until a week after the results of the parliamentary elections are announced.

He said, “according to Sections 69 and 70 of the Parliamentary Elections Act” the ban has been enacted to “maintain peace after the election.”

Gunasekara urged the public to respect those laws and maintain peace during the post-election period, adding that action will be taken to non-compliers.

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) suffered high profile losses in Sri Lanka’s parliamentary elections this week, losing seats to paramilitary groups, government-aligned organisations and other Tamil nationalist parties, amidst allegations of election fraud.

Tensions build over in Jaffna in the early hours of the morning, with Sri Lankan security forces attacking Tamils who had gathered outside Jaffna Central College where a recount was taking place. The dramatic recount stretched late into the night in Jaffna, as TNA members were engaged within an intra-party battle over preferential votes, in a close fight to secure seats.

The recount of preferential votes in Jaffna has caused controversy within the TNA and amidst the wider Tamil community, as Praviinaa Raviraj - daughter of assassinated TNA MP Raviraj and current TNA candidate Sashikala Raviraj - suggested some foul-play had occurred in the recount.

Early reports had suggested that Mrs Raviraj had come second or third in the vote count and was therefore guaranteed a seat. However after a recount was called, reportedly at the request of another senior ITAK politician, the results confirmed Mrs Raviraj narrowly losing out on a seat.

Sri Lanka’s Rajapaksa clan have dominated the island’s general elections this week, with the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) sweeping polls on a staunchly Sinhala nationalist campaign and putting the party firmly in control of parliament.