Much enthusiasm among Northern voters:

All set for free and fair LG polls

by L. S. Ananda WEDAARACHCHI

Arrangements have been made to ensure a free and fair poll to elect 875 members to 65 local bodies on Saturday, July 23, Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya said yesterday.

A total of 5,688 candidates are contesting the poll at which 2,630,985 voters are eligible to cast their votes at 2,226 polling booths, said Commissioner Deshapriya.

According to reports from Jaffna, there is much enthusiasm among the Northern voters who will elect members for 23 local bodies after a lapse of three decades. The largest number of local bodies for which elections are being held this time is in the North. Elections will be held for 16 Pradeshiya Sabhas and three Urban Councils in the Jaffna district, three Pradeshiya Sabhas in the Kilinochchi district and one Pradeshiya Sabha in the Mullaitivu district as the de-mining process has further delayed elections to two Pradeshiya Sabhas - the Pudukudiyiruppu and Maritimepatru Pradeshiya Sabhas.

Assistant Commissioner of Elections for the Jaffna district A. S. Karunanidhi told the Sunday Observer that he is ready for the polls with a full-fledged elections office in Kilinochchi.

Earlier, a three-member team of election officials from Colombo, assigned by the Commissioner of Elections visited the North for meetings and consultations with Government officials, election officers and representatives of political parties to ensure that all election laws are adhered to for the conduct of a smooth poll.

All mainstream political parties are contesting the Northern polls.

Analysts said the elections are a positive development that augurs well for the democratisation of the North, where the LTTE stifled democratic freedom for nearly 30 years.

Security has been tightened in the North and in all other areas where the polls are being held.

Agents of the candidates will be allowed to accompany the vehicles which carry ballot boxes to the counting centres.

They will be permitted to stay at the high security zones at the counting centres for which they need to obtain permission from the Elections Commissioner.

Election monitors will be sent to the North and other areas for the local elections.

Elections to 65 local bodies were not held during the first round of elections earlier this year due to legal proceedings against the rejection of nomination lists and the hosting of the ICC World Cup Cricket matches in some areas.