Election held in peaceful atmosphere

Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake issuing a message on the Southern Province Provincial Council election said that he was happy that the election was conducted in a peaceful atmosphere without illegal display of posters, banners, cut-outs, etc. on the date of the election, in spite of some candidates engaging in violence and illegal practices leading to clashes among candidates of the same political party.

The Message: This poll was held at 1,485 polling stations for 1,761,859 voters in Galle, Matara and Hambantota districts to elect 53 members from 1,091 candidates.

The services rendered by the Returning Officers of the three Districts, Divisional Secretaries and their staff, the staff of the Head Office of the Elections Department, District Elections Offices and of State officers who served in various capacities and by the election professionals are highly commended.

I also wish to thank the voters who co-operated in abiding by the election law and peacefully arrived at the polling stations and expressed their franchise. The procedure adopted to ascertain the identity of the voters at the polling stations was more successfully implemented at this election. The co-operation extended by the Commissioner-General of Registration of Persons and his staff by issuing a large number of national identity cards during a short period of time after the election was announced is much appreciated.

The service rendered by Grama Niladharis and Superintendents of Estates in issuing temporary identity cards to those who did not possess any form of identity also deserve a word of thanks. I am very unhappy that a few candidates and their supporters behaved in a violent manner and engaged in thuggery in propaganda activities violating election laws. I thank the candidates who conducted their campaigns peacefully and in a law abiding manner and the political party secretaries and independent group leaders who guided candidates.

Although certain problems arose from the time of nominations up to the date of the election due to some officers who had not understood the obligations attached to their duties, on the whole, the Inspector-General of Police, Deputy Inspector-General of Police (Elections), and Deputy Inspector-General in charge of Districts and other officers and rankers and the Police Officers who assisted at the Co-ordinating Centres deserve a word of appreciation for the Co-operation extended. The observer organisations also showed much keenness in ensuring a free and fair election. I also wish to thank the Officer-in-Charge of the Welikada Police Station and his officers who provided security to the Elections Secretariat at all times.

I also offer my thanks to the Government Printer and his staff, Postmaster-General and his staff, Staff of the Ceylon Electricity Board and the Sri Lanka Telecom who gave their fullest Co-operation during the election process and to the Sri Lanka Transport Board which provided transport facilities.