Uva Provincial Council poll on scheduled date

by Manjula Fernando

Twenty-two registered political parties and 11 independent groups will contest 32 seats in the Uva Provincial Council at the September 20 polls which has been confirmed by the Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya.

Additional Elections Commissioner R.M.A.L.Ratnayake said the polls date will not be a rescheduled due to incidents of violence, as alleged earlier.

In the Badulla district, 10 political parties and four independent groups have fielded candidates with 18 seats to be won, while 12 political parties and seven independent groups will contest 14 seats in the Moneragala district. With 609,996 registered voters in the Badulla district and 332, 764 voters in the Moneragala district, an additional 60,000 will be eligible to vote this year compared to the last Uva PC election in 2009. There were 875,456 voters in 2009.

According to a spokesman for the Elections Department, polls monitors from PAFFREL and the CAFFE will be permitted in the polling booths to monitor the conduct of the election. In addition, the CMEV and several other groups have permitted mobile monitors outside the polling stations.

The poll will be held from 7 am to 4 pm and the first postal result is expected around 9 pm.