Batticaloa Elections arrangements finalized -Commissioner

[TamilNet, Sunday, 09 March 2008, 16:27 GMT]
All arrangements have been finalized for Batticaloa local council elections scheduled to be held Monday 10 February, Mahinda Deshapirriya, Deputy Commissioner of Elections announced Sunday.

The elections for nine local councils including Batticaloa Urban council are being held after 14 years.

831 candidates representing six political parties and 22 independent groups are are contesting in the elections and 101 members are to be elected for the nine councils.

A total of 270,041 voters in nine local council areas are eligible to cast their votes in the elections District, Assistant Commissioner of Elections, T. Krishnananthalingam said.

Following are the details of the number of eligible voters in each local council:

• Batticaloa Urban Council 54948
• Ea'ravoorpattu Pradeshiya Sabha 45336
• Koaralaippattu Pradeshiya Sabha 41856
• Koaralaippattu North Pradeshiya Sabha 12419
• Ma'nmunai and Eruvilpattu Pradeshiya Sabha 38386
• Ma’nmunaipattu Pradeshiya Sabha 18759
• Ma'nmunai West Pradeshiya Sabha 15771
• Ma'nmunai South West Pradeshiya Sabha 14880
• Poaratheevupattu Pradeshiya Sabha 28116

285 polling stations have been set up and a special district elections office has begun functioning in Batticaloa Hindu College, effective Sunday.

4000 officials, including 150 from outstations have been employed for election related duties, Mr. Krishnananthalingam added.

The ballot boxes were transported Saturday amidst heavy security from Batticaloa Government secretariat to Batticaloa Hindu College.

Meanwhile, a team of 20 officials from the Colombo head office of the Elections Department headed by Mahinda Deshapriya arrived in Batticaloa Sunday.

With fear and indifference reigning in the district, low voter turnout is expected at tomorrow’s polls.

Placards, posters and decorations of respective parties and candidates add colour to the war-ravaged district of Batticaloa but the enthusiasm among the people for Monday’s local government elections for nine Councils including the Batticaloa Municipal council is low, local sources said.

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