Elections in Jaffna, Vavuniya:

Displaced can forward applications till June 26

Chaminda Perera

The Elections Department yesterday said displaced voters in the Jaffna Municipal and Vavuniya Urban Council area can forward their applications for voting at the forthcoming Local Government election to the Election Secretariat till June 26.

According to a Department official, there have been reports that a considerable number of people whose names are in the electoral register in the Jaffna Municipal and Vavuniya Urban Council areas are living outside their permanent residences due to the conflict.

The Department decided to call for applications from such displaced voters to make arrangements for them to vote at the election. The official said they will have to establish polling stations outside the area where the election is held if they receive applications.

However, he said the Election Secretariat has not received any applications yet. He said the department is in the process of revising the 2009 Voters register which will be effective from June next year. The elections that will be held after June next year will be based on this revised register.

The people should forward the perfected forms seeking details of applicants in each household to revise the 2009 voters register to avoid their names being removed from the revised list which will be effective from 2010.

Some segments of the society always tried to point the finger at the department for the removal of their names from the voters register without furnishing their details to the relevant Grama Niladharis when the voters register is being revised, he said.