Peaceful postal voting - Monitors

by Manjula Fernando

Except for a few minor incidents in some centres in Ampara, Mahiyanganaya, Mawanella and Badulla, election monitors observed that postal balloting yesterday was largely peaceful.

PAFFREL National Coordinator Thusitha Aluthpatabendige said they deployed nearly 1,500 stationary observers at the 700 postal balloting centres islandwide and their observations ruled a peaceful ballot on the first day, yesterday. "Our observers have reported that there were no major incidents in the areas they covered including the North-East."

The second and the final day of the postal voting for the State employees on election and compulsory duty, will be today. The poll is conducted from 7.00 am to 4.00pm.

Over 324,000 state employees were eligible for postal voting. This is an increase of 13 per cent against the last year's 286,000, Deputy Elections Commissioner Rasika Peiris said. PAFFREL, the European Union and few other local groups are monitoring the postal ballot.

Aluthpatabendige said in addition to their local monitors, they have deployed international observers in nine selected districts. They are Batticaloa, Hambantota, Matara, Trincomalee, Vavuniya, Ratnapura, Kandy, Kegalle and Nuwara Eliya.

EU has deployed 11 teams comprising 22 observers to monitor the postal ballot throughout the country on the two days, in addition to seven co-teams operating in Colombo.

The PAFFREL concentrated their attention in police stations, Army camps, bus depots and divisional secretariats as well as some of the specially designated areas, expecting trouble, based on the pre-election assessments, the national coordinator said.