Polls to be annulled in marred centres - EC
Dharma SRI ABEYRATNE
The result of any polling centre will be annulled if any malpractice
occurs within or around the polling centre, the Election Commissioner
Dayananda Dissanayake said.
The Elections Commissioner was addressing the media regarding the
Southern Provincial Council Election.
The Commissioner further said that Senior Polling Officers (SPO)
attached to polling centres are officers not only for the polling centre
but also for the polling centre area up to 500 metres radius from the
polling centre. Nobody is allowed to converage within 500 metre radius
as such gathering may cause harm to a free and fair election. Therefore,
if such illegal gathering is reported most probably it may result in
cancelling the result of such polling centres. Apart from that, the
result will be cancelled if more than one folded ballet paper is found
as a set in a ballot box since it indicates that some violation had
occurred, the Commissioner Dissanayake added.
He pointed out that every possible step has been taken to hold a free
and fair election.
”Only voters, polling centre officers, appointed police officers, two
representatives from each party, two representatives from individual
groups, election department officers and officers appointed by
Additional Returning Officers will be allowed to enter the polling
centre premises,” the Commissioner added.
The voters have to duly confirm their identity with a valid identity
card such as National Identity card, valid passport, valid driving
licence, Government servants pensioners’ Identity card, Elders Identity
Card, Identity card issued for clergy and the identity card issued by
the Election Commissioner Department. “Voters have to prove their
identity by these seven types of identity cards. Otherwise no ballot
paper will be issued,” the Commissioner noted.
It has been estimated that 1,761,859 voters are qualified to vote at
the forthcoming Southern Provincial Council Election while 5,650
Government officers have been attached for election duties.
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