The Tamil National Alliance complained of intimidation ahead of the polls. One of its popular women candidates was reportedly attacked Friday.

The New York Times said men wearing army uniforms were visiting houses to tell people not to vote for the alliance.

Ananthi Sasitharan, a Tamil candidate in the elections, said a dozen or so men have been lurking outside her house in Jaffna for the past few days.

”The military has been visiting houses all over the area and telling people not to vote for the Tamil National Alliance,” said Mavai S. Senathirajah, deputy leader of the Tamil alliance. “We will not be intimidated.”

But military spokesman Brig. Ruwan Wanigasooriya told the NYT that “there was no involvement on the part of the army”, and that the military was cooperating in an investigation on the matter.