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| Sunday, 21 March 2004 |
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Politics |  |
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All set for polls in NE by S. Selvakumar and Batticaloa Corr. R. T. hurairatnam All arrangements have been finalised by the District Secretaries, security forces commanders and election department officials to facilitate the voting of little over 120,000 people in uncleared areas to exercise their franchise in cluster polling booths in the North and East. These polling booths will be set up at the entry points to the cleared areas and for this purpose military check point positions will be shifted further inside but armed police will be present in full force. District Secretaries of Jaffna, Vavuniya, Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Ampara convened special meetings at their respective secretariats, Friday, with the participation of top military and police officials and political representatives of the LTTE and finality reached on how to facilitate the polling at the cluster polling booths. Voters in Kilinochchi and Marudankerni in the uncleared areas of Jaffna and Kilinochchi will be able to vote at 61 cluster booths to be set up in Muhamalai. Government Agent Jaffna S. Pathmanathan said no bodychecks will be carried out nor any identity documents demanded for those who vote at Muhamalai. Free transport will be provided for travel to Muhamalai and also facilities for drinking water, snacks and tea will be made available. The Elections Department is expected to provided Rs. 5.3 million to the Government Agent for this purpose. However, in the Vanni district, the Government Agent Kilinochchi K. Ganesh has reported to have said that he would instruct his officials to insist on identity papers at least in the form of a Grama Niladhari certificate. But all other facilities would remain same as announced by the Jaffna GA. At Vavuniya 30 polling booths will be set up for those who come from the Vanni and 31 for those who come from Jaffna and Kilinochchi. Voters have been advised by the security forces not to carry parcels which could delay their arrival at the polling booths. In Batticaloa, 89 polling booths will be set up in 13 locations. |
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