Member of the National Elections Commission Prof. Ratnajeevan Hoole has sparked a fresh controversy over a statement he made to a Jaffna-based TV station.

In his interview, Hoole said journalists supporting the SLPP were publishing false information about him and hoodwinking the public.

Hoole dubbed them as those who are opposed to democracy and requested the public not to vote for those hoodwinking the people. He had also said he did not understand such "trash stories" written in Sinhala.

However, an English daily reported the statement with a twist saying that Hoole requested the public not to vote for the SLPP.

The newspaper report is being widely circulated on social media by those who question Hoole's conduct as a member of an independent commission.