To exclude missing, dead and expats:

Voters' register updated

COMMISSIONER of Elections Dayananda Dissanayake has directed District Secretaries to submit lists of names of persons who are missing or have gone abroad for employment in addition to those killed in the tsunami disaster.

This is being done to update information on registered voters in all districts, Elections Department sources said.

The tsunami disaster claimed nearly 40,000 lives and many had gone missing. There are 13,326,292 registered voters, an increase of 292,326 voters over 2003.

Using the powers vested in him by the 17th Amendment to the Constitution, the Elections Commissioner has already pledged to ensure and create an atmosphere necessary to hold a free and fair Presidential Election.

The Government has also reiterated that it will create an environment conducive to free and fair elections.

The 17th Amendment to the Constitution allows the creation of an Elections Commission and clause 104-5 (e) empowers the Commissioner to order the Police and the Army to stop, control and avoid any activity that would be detrimental to the holding of free and fair elections and also to appoint a competent authority to media institutions if deemed necessary.

He is also empowered to institute legal action against any Government officer violating the election law including undue use of movable and immovable government property.

The sources said that when the gazette notification calling for nominations is released the Commissioner of Elections will inform all Secretaries of the Ministries, Heads of all government institutions, statutory bodies and corporations to adhere to the letter and spirit of the elections law. He would deal severely against those officers who fail to fall in line and act in accordance with the instructions issued to them.

Department sources said they delayed gazetting the dates for calling nominations for the Presidential Elections until the return of President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga. It is likely to be out before Wednesday.

Once the gazette is out, voter registers would be dispatched to District and Provincial Secretariats and registers would also be displayed at the Colombo District Secretariat, Public Administration Ministry, Sethsiripaya, Isurupaya, Island Revenue and the Colombo Municipal Council enabling Government officers to apply within a specific period of time for postal voting. Election Department sources added that in response to the request made by Environment Minister A.H.M. Fowzie, the Commissioner of Elections has decided to hold the Presidential election on a date after November 5, the final day of the Ramazan. The fasting period for Muslims begins on October 3.