Rains no bar to poll

A contingency plan has been put in place by the Elections Department in view of the prevailing bad weather to ensure zero disruption to the poll.

Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake said in case of floods or any other natural calamity due to persistent rain they have worked out a plan with the Navy and the Air Force to transport the ballot boxes and the staff to and from the polling centres.

"The Manampitiya road in Polonnaruwa tends to submerge if there is a flood. So, in case, we have booked several compartments of the train so that the rail service can be used instead of the low-lying road," the Commissioner said.