Polls chief thanks all

COLOMBO: Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake yesterday expressed satisfaction regarding the successful completion of Monday's local government elections in nine Local Councils including the Batticaloa Municipal Council.

Elections had not been held for these councils for nearly 15 years and the opportunity given to voters to elect their representatives freely should be appreciated as a stabilisation of democracy, the Commissioner said in a communique yesterday.

The communique added that Batticaloa District Returning officer and his staff, all public servants in the district including the district assistant elections commissioner, district secretaries of Ampara, Trincomalee and Vavuniya as well as staff of elections and other departments in several districts worked with dedication to ensure the successful completion of the elections. Dissanayake also thanked the Security Forces and specially the police for ensuring security in the area from nomination day to the completion of the elections.

The Commissioner also thanked the government press, Postal Department, Telecom, CEB and the CTB for their services and PAFFREL and other civil organisations, Print and Electronic Media institutions for helping in conducting the elections.

The communique added that a large number of voters who could not participate in civil administration activities due to living in uncleared areas for a long time earlier exercised their votes enthusiastically for electing their people's representatives and this should be acclaimed by all those who loved democracy.