EC conducts mock poll as per COVID-19 guidelines

• Around 400 villagers take part in 
• two-hour election in Ambalangoda  
• Hand-washing, temperature checks and masks mandatory at poll
• Voters asked to bring own pens to mark ballot paper

The Election Commission (EC) yesterday held a mock election in Vilegoda in Ambalangoda as per COVID-19 guidelines to ascertain the feasibility of conducting the forthcoming Parliamentary Poll in keeping with health regulations.

The election was conducted between 10 a.m. and 12 noon at the Dhamma Kiththiyarama Temple, Vilegoda in Ambalangoda which is a usual polling centre. Around 400 villagers took part in the mock exercise.

Markings were placed on the ground so voters could stand one meter apart, and all were required to wash their hands before entering the polling booth and also subject to temperature checks while officials on duty sat behind a transparent covering.The villagers were told to bring their own blue or black pens along with the polling cards.

Arrangements were made in a way there was no physical contact between officials on duty and the voters. Additionally the voters were told to fold the polling card themselves in two and put it into a separate box at the entrance, show their National Identity Card (NIC) through the transparent covering and indelible ink applied using a cotton bud following which they were given the ballot paper.

The voters were required to remove the face mask and show their face for identification and asked to put on the mask thereafter.

Election Department sources said that the mock exercise was successful as they were able to ascertain that even with the guidelines in place, the poll could be conducted in a day. 

Pix by Hemantha De Silva in Ambalangoda