Low turnout in quiet polls

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
An official at the independent election monitoring group's office in Jaffna town said this evening that today's polls were generally free of any incidents of violence. Voter turn out was generally very low said TamilNet reporters in Jaffna.

Polling was higher in some army controlled parts of Vadamaradchi, the islands and two coastal areas near Jaffna town they said.

However, according to them, voter turnout could not have been more than 25 percent.

Ballot boxes are now being transported under heavy security to the Jaffna Kachcheri which is the counting centre.

Results, however, would be announced officially from Colombo by the Commissioner of Elections.

"Counting might be over soon as we are not expecting that many votes to count" said an official at the Kachcheri.