Postal voting begins today

Rasika Somarathna

COLOMBO: Election Authorities said yesterday that all measures are in place for postal voting which will take place today and tomorrow for the Eastern Provincial Council Elections.

According to Election Secretariat sources there are 22,412 eligible postal voters, 4,427 from Batticaloa, 9,468 from Ampara and 8,517 in Trincomalee.

Public officers who are unable to cast their vote on election day due to their official functions have been, as in the past, provided with this facility, authorities said. The voting will take place at the Government offices under the supervision of the Election Authorities during office hours.

The Authorities have also granted permission for two representatives from each political party and independent groups to be present at centres where postal voting is to take place.

Meanwhile, election authorities in the three districts confirmed that they had received the ballot papers and that relevant officials had been directed to proceed with their duties which will be carried out under tight security.

The Assistant Commissioner of Elections (Ampara) T.M. Tennekoon told the Daily News yesterday that the Secretariat had directed them to seek additional security if necessary.

Meanwhile, Police said that they had beefed up security in the three districts for the postal voting and additional personnel had been placed at all centres where the vote is been conducted.

However, both according to Police and the main election watchdog PAFFREL there is an escalation of violence since the Aurudu break with campaigning specially by main parties reaching a climax.

Since the New Year holidays, around 30 cases of polls related violence has been recorded by Police including two murders. However, barring four cases, the rest have been described as minor incidents. According to Authorities, 18 political parties and 73 independent groups are in the fray with a record number of 1,342 candidates contesting for 35 slots (in addition two bonus seats) in the Eastern PC.

The main election to appoint 37 members for the Eastern Provincial Council would be held on May 10 in 1,022 polling stations in the East.