Jaffna postal votes cast, said historic low

[TamilNet, Monday, 07 November 2005, 11:46 GMT]
Election officials at the Jaffna Secretariat said that less than 10% of those applied for postal voting cast their votes when the first day of postal voting completed on Monday. Although there is expected to be voting in some centers tomorrow, the election officials added that the numbers voted present a historic low for the district.

Students of Jaffna Technical Institute who had earlier called for boycott of postal votes held picket lines at the Institute's polling office. Students carried placards with slogans saying, "voting to either Mahinda Rajapakse or to Ranil Wicremasinghe is a traitorous act against Tamils."

A number of those who cast votes said they exercised their franchise by voting to neither candidate and cancelling their vote. Others said that they voted for Mr Wickremasinghe, media sources said.