Colombo: With the crucial Presidential
elections just days ahead, Sri Lanka has stepped up efforts
for smooth conduct of polls in the war-ravaged north,
providing facilities to the Tamil voters so that they could
exercise their franchise.
The displaced Tamils can use their ID cards issued at
the rehabilitation camp for exercising their franchise in the
upcoming January 26 Presidential polls, Sri Lankan
Commissioner of Elections Dayananda Dissanayake.
"Establishment of polling stations and providing
other facilities for internally displaced voters in the North
and East have also been made to allow them to exercise their
right to vote satisfactorily," Dissanayake said yesterday.
A total of 45,732 displaced persons who had applied
for distant voting have been registered as voters and will be
able to vote at cluster booths set up in the north as well as
other areas, he said.
Dissanayake told reporters that he hoped to release
the result of the Presidential polls by Wednesday Morning.
He said that transportation has been arranged for
voters in the North during polling hours. Arrangements have
been made to operate 1,000 buses for IDP voters to cluster
polling centres from 7.00 am. to 4.00 pm. with the assistance
of state run and private bus services.
Dissanayake said special officers will be assigned at
Vavuniya and Batticaloa to oversee activities in the Northern
province, especially facilities provided to the IDPs.
PTI
