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| Sunday, 28 March 2004 |
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All systems go for April 2 polls by E. Weerapperuma The curtain will come down on campaigning for general election 2004, at mid-night on Tuesday, March 30 bringing to a close intense propaganda activity and setting the stage for voting on Friday, April 2. Polling is scheduled to commence at 10,600 booths at 7.00 am and continue till 4.00 pm. Election 2004, may be decisive in more ways than one, with the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) vowing to change the present constitution to make Parliament Supreme, even if they win with a slim majority. A spokesman for the Elections Commissioner's department said that all necessary arrangements have been finalised to run a violence free election throughout the country. He said Elections Commissioner, Dayananda Dissanayake will use the powers vested in him as Commissioner, through the 17th Amendment to the Constitution, to ensure a free and fair election. Around 110,000 officials will be deployed to man the booths. For the First time in Sri Lanka's election history observers from two NGOs PAFFREL and CMEV have been permitted to monitor the elections from the polling booths. Dissanayake has said that he would not tolerate any unwanted incidents at the polling booths and has warned that he will nullify the election of a particular booth and will send instructions to hold fresh polls if any incidents of ballot stuffing are reported. The election result of the respective district will be withheld. Dissanayake has also given strict orders to the police manning polling booths in the 22 electoral districts to fire if necessary on those who violate election laws or try to fill the ballot boxes by force, try to snatch away or destroy or those who try to prevent people from exercising their legitimate right to cast their votes. A total of 12,899,032 of registered voters, 470,270 more voters than at the previous election will cast their votes to elect 225 members to the 13th Parliament in the Independent Sri Lanka and the 6th Parliament under the Republican Constitution. 196 Members will be elected from the 22 districts and another 29 on the basis of the total votes at the national level. The Election Commissioner has requested all registered voters to go to their respective polling centres and cast their votes irrespective of whether they have polling cards or not. Government servants cast their postal votes at their respective work places on March 24 and 25. There were 286,624 postal voters. However, over 16,000 army personnel are alleged to have been deprived of their right to vote, as they had not received their ballot papers. The Army had informed of this to the Elections Commissioner. A spokesman of the Election Department said that those who could not cast their votes during the specified two days, for valid reasons, could cast their votes before April 2. A total of 24 recognised political parties and 192 Independent groups are contesting at this election,fielding a total of 5,698 candidates.These include 286 Buddhist monks contest in 20 districts and 23 women contest in the Colombo district. The Nava Vamansika Peramuna led by Vasudeva Nanayakkara and Dr. Wickremabahu Karunarathne is the only political party contest all 22 electoral districts. Election department sources said that there will be 10,600 polling stations around the country including an increase of 610 polling stations compared to the 2001 December general election. Most of these centres are located at school buildings. However, there will be no polling booths at Buddhist temples, where the monks are candidates. The counting of postal votes will commence after 4.30 pm and the First result is expected to be announced after midnight. |
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