All set for Batticaloa postal voting

Dharma Sri Abeyratne

All arrangements have been taken to hold a free and fair Local Government Election in Batticaloa district, Assistant Commissioner of Elections, Batticaloa district T. Krishnanandaligam told the Daily News.

The Local Government Election in Batticaloa district is scheduled to be held on March 10 at which 101 members will be elected to nine local bodies. The election will be held at 285 poling stations and 270,471 voters are eligible.

According to him, 51 nomination lists have been accepted while nine nomination lists have been rejected out of 61. Out of nine rejected nomination lists eight belong to political parties and one to an independent group.

Altogether 831 people have been selected as candidates.

The postal department has been ordered by the Assistant Commissioner to distribute polls cards after March 4.

All arrangements have been finalised for postal voting on February 21. More than 6,000 displaced voters are seeking the Election Commissioner?s approval to cast their votes where they are residing.

The Assistant Commissioner of Elections has made arrangements to cast their votes at the nearest polling station or polling stations will be set up especially for them at identified locations. Most of displaced are especially from Kovelaipattu and Eravurpattu areas. Out of the 6,000 applicants 1,392 have been selected and others would be considered to ensure availability to cast their votes.