UPFA All the way

Results of Nayakkarchenai polling station annulled:

Rasika Somarathna

The United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) recorded a massive victory by obtaining more than 60 per cent of the votes cast at the polls held in Central and Northwestern provinces on Saturday. The UPFA won 37 polling divisions out of a total of 40 in the two provinces, with the United National Party (UNP) only managing two.

While UPFA cantered home winning 36 (including two bonus seats) out of 58 seats on offer at the Central Provincial Council, the final results of the Northwestern Province was withheld, as the Commissioner of Elections took steps to annul the results of the Nayakkarchenai polling station in the Puttalam district, citing irregularities, in accordance with a report submitted by the Returning Officer.

The Commissioner in a release said that he would call for a fresh poll for that particular polling station in the next few days. Accordingly, the final result of the Puttalam district has been withheld till a fresh poll takes place at the above- mentioned polling station.

However according to the results released so far, in four of the polling divisions in the Puttalam district, the UPFA has been able to secure more than two third ( 66 per cent) of votes cast. Thus the results of the annulled polling station, expected to be released after a fresh poll, is not expected to make much difference to the overall result.

When compared with the total number of valid votes cast in 39 polling divisions in the two provinces (sans the Puttalam polling division), the UPFA stakes rose higher as they had managed to secure more than a two thirds ( 64.4 per cent) of the valid votes.

The UNP managed to win only two polling divisions in the Central Province, Mahanuwara (the polling division with a least number of votes) and Nuwaraeliya-Maskeliya.

According to the results announced so far in the four districts (sans Puttalam), the UPFA has won a total of 60 seats. The UNP has only managed 31 and the JVP had to be contend with a single seat.

In the Kurunegala district belonging to the Northwestern province, the UPFA secured 24 seats obtaining 70.13 per cent of votes cast, while the UNP which got only 27.29 per cent had to be satisfied with nine seats and the JVP which obtained only 2.27 per cent of the vote got only one seat.

In the Kandy district, the UPFA won 18 seats obtaining 59.41 per cent of the vote with UNP only managing 12. The JVP or any other group failed to win any seats.

In Nuwaraeliya, the UPFA won nine seats and the UNP seven. In Matale once again UPFA recorded a two third majority (69.48 per cent) winning seven seats, while the UNP only managed three.

Meanwhile election monitoring groups said that the election held on Saturday was the most peaceful in recent times, barring a few minor incidents. PAFFREL said that although they had received some 13 complaints on the polling day, none were major incidents.

All observation groups were of the opinion that Saturday’s poll where the turn out stood around 65 per cent had been conducted in a free and fair manner, with most reported violations being minor in nature.

However they also noted that a substantial amount of voters had being denied from exercising their franchise due to lack of valid identification papers, as authorities took steps to strictly impose provisions with regard to the need of proving identity by a voter to be eligible to vote.

Meanwhile, sources said the re-poll at the annulled polling station in the Puttalam district would be held within 10 days.