238,755 persons qualified to vote in Trinco local election

[TamilNet, Thursday, 09 February 2006, 16:37 GMT]
Trincomalee Election Office has made arrangement to accept nominations lists from registered political parties and independent groups to contest thirteen local authorities including two Urban Councils (UC) and eleven Pradesiya Sabah (PS) from Thursday February 9 till 16th February. Till Thursday deposits were made on behalf of two Muslim independent groups, one for Kinniya UC and other for Kuchchaveli PS. Altogether 118 councilors will be elected for the thirteen local authorities, sources said.

Total number of registered electors in the Trincomalee district according to 2004 Voters Register is two hundred thirty eight thousand and seven hundred and seventy five. The entire extent of newly carved out Verugal PS is located in the LTTE controlled Eachchilampathu AGA division. Eleven of 42 GN divisions in the Muttur PS is located in the LTTE controlled Muttur east territory.

A decision on the question of locating polling stations for GN divisions inside the LTTE held Muttur east and entire Verugal PS area is likely be taken at a conference scheduled to be held with the Commissioner of Elections in the chair after the conclusion of handing over nominations lists. In the last presidential election polling stations were set up in the army-controlled areas for voters residing LTTE held territory. Whether this same procedure will be adopted for local polls is still not known, election department sources said.

The numbers of registered electors in each local authority in Trincomalee district are:

Urban Council

Trincomalee UC- 36,961-(12 members)
Kinniya UC- 20,704-(07 members)

Pradesiya Sabah

Muttur PS- 35,333 (11 members)
Trincomalee town and gravets- 29,331 (09 members)
Kantalai PS-28, 933 (11 members)
Kuchchaveli PS-22, 010 (09 members)
Thambalakamam PS- 17,228 (09members)
Kinniya PS-13, 755 (07 members)
Padavisirpura-8, 045 (09 members)
Morawewa PS- 8185 (09 members)
Seruvila PS-8, 036 (09 members)
Gomarankadawela PS-5, 095 (09 members)
Verugal-5, 139 (07 members)