Batticaloa Local Polls

Smooth run-up to Batti elections

Dharma Sri Abeyratne

BATTICALOA: All measures have been taken to ensure a free and fair Local Government poll in the Batticaloa district with Security Forces’ assistance, Assistant Commissioner of Elections in the Batticaloa District T. Krishnanandhalingam told the Daily News yesterday.

“Things are progressing smoothly for the Batticaloa District Local Government Election scheduled to be held on March 10,” the Assistant Commissioner said. The Assistant Commissioner said he has received three complaints upto date regarding pre-polls violence.

“These are minor incidents like threats from opponents. However these incidents are being investigated by the Batticaloa DIG,” he said. He said postal voting was carried out without any incidents. Nine hundred and thirty four persons were eligible for postal voting.

“Postal voting had taken place without any major incidents and around 97 per cent of postal voters had cast their votes.”

Ballot boxes containing the postal votes will be sent to Returning Officers before 4 p.m. on March 10 by certifying officers.

The Assistant Elections Commissioner said he needed 4,200 election staff for duties. He has planned to set up 26 counting centres under 26 chief counting officers. Accordingly 22 normal counting centres will be established while two will be set up for postal counting.

Another two will be established to count votes of the displaced.

More than 6,000 displaced voters are reported to be seeking the Election Commissioner’s approval to cast their votes where they are residing.

The Assistant Commissioner said he has made arrangements for displaced voters to cast their votes at the nearest polling station while polling stations will be set up especially for them at identified locations.