Low voter turnout at Southern polls

By Nirmala Kannangara and Cassandra Mascarenhas

Low voter turnout was witnessed at yesterday’s Southern Provincial Council Election along with several election related violations being reported by opposition parties and independent election observers.

The Department of Elections said approximately 65% had cast their vote in Galle, while the voter turnout in Matara and Hambantota districts was around 60% to 65% in each district,

UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake charged that yesterday’s election was one of the worst in the recent past due to a high scale of intimidation and other form of threatening reported from the three districts specially during the run-up to the polls.

Meanwhile UNP candidate and Chief Organizer for Baddegama, Ananda Lanerolle alleged that UPFA candidate Sajin Vass Gunawardena had visited estates and distributed gifts and even cash to workers.

JVP sources said that one of their party supporters was assaulted by a group of UPFA supporters at Kimbulgoda, Matara and he was admitted to Akuressa hospital yesterday afternoon.

Meanwhile, Deputy Elections Commissioner W.P. Sumanasiri said that several complaints of voters not being able to cast their vote because they did not have an Identity Card were sorted out with immediate intervention.

The Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) reported 29 election violations and urged for the need to immediately implement the 17^th Amendment which will make way for the setting up of an independent Election and Police Commissions without which the country will never witness a free and fair election.

National Coordinator CMEV Attorney at law Tusitha Siriwardena told The Sunday Leader that at end of voting, 29 incidents were reported which included eight major incidents.

“In polling booths in Galle and Matara, ruling party supporters have distributed propaganda leaflets, while in Matara a JVP supporter was assaulted by two UPFA supporters,” he said.

CAFFE Spokesperson Keerthi Tennakoon said incidents have been reported from Akuressa, Dickwella, Devinuwara, Lunugamvehera and Yakkalamulla where ruling party members have assaulted opposition party supporters.

Also vehicle convoys belonging to UNP and UPFA were spotted near polling booths in Matara and Galle.

PAFFREL Executive Director Rohana Hettiarachchi said out of the 23 complaints received, a majority of them were propaganda related violations.

Meanwhile, Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said that yesterday’s election was held in a free and fair manner.