Spokesman admits that police are accused of being partial towards the ruling party

Police spokesman SSP Ranjith Gunasekara told BBC Sandeshaya that the police decided to improve security for the polls at a meeting with elections commissioner on Tuesday.

Elections monitors and opposition parties accuse the ruling party supporters of unleashing violence in the run up to the polls.

SSP Gunasekara said that increasing number of incidents of election related violence is being reported to the police.

'Many' violent incidents

He also admitted that police are accused of being partial towards the ruling party in their investigations over election violence.

Police can only take action if policemen witnessed the incident. Otherwise it takes time as we have to make our own enquiries to find evidence SSP Ranjith Gunasekara

Ratnapura magistrate also warned police to be impartial after police only arrested opposition activists after a clash between ruling party and the JVP in Nivithigala.

“Police can only take action if policemen witnessed the incident. Otherwise it takes time as we have to make our own enquiries to find evidence,” SSP Gunasekara told BBCSinhala.com.

A number of opposition politicians, including UNP Chief Ministerial candidate Ranjan Ramanayaka, have sustained injuries in violent incidents in Ratnapura district.

Elections for the North Central and Sabaragamuwa PCs are to be held on 23 August.