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Tuesday, 18 August 2015 02:16 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Sri Lankans voted in yesterday’s parliamentary election in relatively high numbers with several districts recording nearly a 70% turnout and the country anxiously awaits final results later today.
The Elections Department said the counting of postal votes had begun at 5:00 p.m. yesterday. The first postal voting results were to be released by 10.00 p.m. and the first results from yesterday’s vote were expected by 2.00 a.m. Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya said that since the ballot papers were long, counting could take extra time.
Heavy rains in several parts of the island disrupted election activities in some areas, officials said.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa who is contesting as his de facto prime ministerial challenger, were the main protagonists of yesterday’s contest to win seats in the new Parliament and form a majority Government.
Both leaders cast their votes in their respective home districts,
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe who voted at College House in Colombo, said yesterday’s election had been free and fair and had met the democratic standard.
"This was made possible because of the 8 January revolution and we are confident of victory," he said.
Wickremesinghe urged people to accept the result of the election and conduct themselves peacefully.
“I have spoken with the IGP and the Elections Commissioner and I have told them to take action against any persons breaking the law, whatever party they are from,” the Prime Minister said.
The former President who cast his vote Ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa requested the people to act peacefully and called on the police and armed forces to refrain from engaging in politics. “They must uphold the law, we expect a fair election,” Rajapaksa told reporters in Medamulana.
"We are going to win, that is clears," he said.According to district Returning Officers, 70% cast their votes in the Gampaha and Kandy Districts, 65% in Rathnapura, 68% in Hambantota, 62% in Colombo, Matara, and Matale districts 30 minutes before polls closed at 4.00 p.m. Voter turnout in the Badulla and Galle districts was recorded at approximately 63% and 61% respectively.
Polls observers said the turnout was relatively high, even though it was not expected to exceed the turnout at the presidential election in January.
"It is a good sign to see the people enthusiastically casting their votes to elect the members of the new Parliament. The situation at election centres has so far been trouble free," Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) Executive Director Ranjith Keerthi Tennakoon said.
The Centre for Monitoring Election Violence said yesterday’s Parliamentary election had been the most peaceful election in 15 years.
CMEV Co-Convenor Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu said the poll had been “relatively free and fair, and without hindrance.”
Dr. Saravanamuttu said CMEV had recorded 294 incidents of violence, with 97 of these classified as major incidents.
Elections Commissioner Deshapriya hailed the election as peaceful, saying his department had recorded only 226 violations One such report was of UNP supporters at Thambuttegama Thammenagama Community Centre polling station 62 at around 8.00 a.m. at Rajina Junction, Thambuthegama, Anuradhapura District influencing voters in favor of UNP candidates P. Harison and Chadrani Bandara.
The CMEV also said it had received a number of reports related to the ink used to mark fingers of voters. “There were complaints of the ink fading even before voters could cast their votes. A total seven such incidents have been recorded by CMEV from Kurunegala, Mullaitivu, Vavuniya and Wanni. CMEV has informed the Election Commissioner about these complaints,” the polls monitor said.
Polls Monitor People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) said the yesterday’s poll had been one of the most peaceful in recent history.
“This election clearly showed that there has been a change in Sri Lanka’s political culture,” PAFFREL Executive Director Rohana Hettiarachchi said.
Over 6,100 candidates from a record 35 political parties and 200 independent groups were vying for 196 parliamentary seats at today’s General Elections. Polling was conducted in 12,314 polling centres island-wide, including in the seven islands off Jaffna in the Northern Province.
