Election Commissioner holds talks with heads of armed forces, Police

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 September 2005, 16:58 GMT]
Mr.Dayananda Dissanayake, Commissioner General of Elections Monday morning held discussions with the heads of three armed forces, Sri Lanka Army (SLA), Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) and Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) regarding the security to be provided during the forthcoming presidential election which is expected to be held during the second week of November this year, Deputy Commissioner of Elections Mr.W.Siriwardene said.

The discussion held at the election secretariat for about three hours mainly centered on holding the presidential election in the northeast and to set up cluster polling stations for voters in the LTTE controlled areas in the northeast province, sources said.

District Returning Officers, all Government Agents of the eight districts (Amparai, Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Vavuniya, Mannar, Killinochchi, Mullaitivu and Jaffna) in the northeast province are empowered to decide on the question of sites to locate cluster polling stations for voters in LTTE held areas after ensuring security, sources said.

It was pointed out at the discussion that at the last general elections government servants residing in LTTE held areas were not allowed to cast their postal votes.

The Commissioner General of Elections requested the heads of three armed forces and the IGP to make necessary arrangements for the public servants in the LTTE held areas to exercise their franchise without any interruption in the forthcoming presidential poll, sources said.

The Commissioner General of Elections appealed to the security chiefs and the IGP to assist the department to hold a just and fair presidential poll without intimidation to voters and any irregularities such as booth capturing and impersonation, sources said.

Election department sources said the Commissioner General is to meet the heads of armed forces and the IGP again next week for further talks, sources said.