EC directs certifying officers to make arrangements:

Postal voting at work places on Jan 12, 13

Voters entitled for postal voting at the forthcoming Presidential Election can exercise their ballot at their respective places of work on January 12 and 13. Elections Commissioner Dayananada Dissanayake has directed all certifying officers to make arrangements for this through a circular sent through the Returning Officers said the Elections Secretariat in a press release issued yesterday.

The release said postal voters who could not exercise their ballots January 12 and 13 due to unforseen circumstances can obtain that facility on January 26 until 4 p.m.

However the marked ballot paper should reach the relevant returning officer in his district before 4 p.m. on January 26. The release said each candidate and observation group can appoint one representative each as an observer to an office of a certifying officer.

PAFFREL and CMEV have been allowed to act as observers of these activities. The IGP has been requested to provide Police assistance to ensure peaceful voting at postal voting centres if a request is made for such Police assistance by any certifying officer, returning officer or an observer.

People have also been strictly warned to desist from any of the following malpractices mentioned in the election laws at the postal voting centres:

1. Display any printed picture or poster to promote the candidacy of any candidate at the postal voting centre or distribute any handbill.

2. Request a voter to vote for a particular candidate or instigate a voter not to vote for any particular candidate.

3. Engage in shouting or indecent behaviour in an around a postal voting centre.

4. Take away any marked or unmarked ballot paper from the postal voting centre.

5. Display or exhibit any marked ballot paper.

6. Force a voter to display his/her marked ballot paper.