Local elections in Trincomalee, Amparai to be held

[TamilNet, Monday, 20 March 2006, 19:27 GMT]
Elections to 12 local authorities in Trincomalee district and 17 in the Amparai district are to be held on March 30. Elections to forty-six local authorities in the other six districts of Jaffna, Killinochchi, Mullaitivu, Vavuniya, Mannar and Batticaloa in the North East are to be postponed by six months, Colombo media sources reported Monday evening quoting an official of the Department of Elections.

Election to Verugal PS in the Trincomalee district and Puthukudiruppu PS in the Mullaitivu will not be held because Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kadchchi (ITAK) and Eelam Peoples Democratic Party(EPDP) have been returned uncontested to these local authorities respectively. Both local authorities are located in the LTTE controlled area.

Meanwhile, District Returning Officers in the districts of Jaffna and Batticaloa said Monday postal voting in their districts began as scheduled amid speculation of a postponement.

Mr.M.M.S.K.Bandara Mapa, Trincomalee District Assistant Commissioner of Elections said fifty percent of government servants who are qualified for postal voting had exercised their franchise in his district on the first day. The second day postal voting will be held on Tuesday. Of about 7462 government servants applied for postal voting only 6746 are approved to cast their votes, he said.

Mr.Bandara Mapa also confirmed the story that local polls in the two districts of Trincomalee and Amparai will be held as scheduled on March 30th. He said he has been taking all steps to hold polling in Trincomalee district on the set date.