Political parties delay nominations for Batticaloa elections

[TamilNet, Sunday, 20 January 2008, 16:46 GMT]
None of the major political parties have submitted nominations up to Sunday afternoon for the forthcoming local government elections for the nine local councils, sources from Batticaloa district elections office said. Meanwhile, 12 independent groups have paid their deposits.

T.Krishnananthalingam, the Assistant commissioner of Elections for Batticaloa district announced last week that nominations for the elections will be accepted from Friday 18, January till 25 January. The acceptance of deposits however is expected to end by 24 January noon.

So far two groups have paid their deposits in Batticaloa Municipal Council while in Pradesiya Sabah of Eravoorpattu three independent groups have paid deposits.

Deposits have also been paid for the elections in the local bodies in Koralaipattu, Koralaipattu North, Eruvilpattu, Manmunaipattu West, Manmunai Southwest, Porativupattu, and Manmunai South.

Several political parties and independent groups are expected to submit their nomination Sunday for Batticaloa Municipal Council elections where the contest is expected to be very intense and close.

Elections Department sources said that the election for the nine local bodies would be held during the second week of March.

Meanwhile, new check points have been established south of Batticaloa town along Batticaloa-Kalmunai Highway near Kalladi clock tower and 5th mile Post and all vehicles and passengers are subjected to intense search

A number of tents have been erected along Customs road, New bridge junction, Puthoor junction and Oo'ra’ni junction and police check posts established, local sources said.

New check points have also been established north of Batticaloa along Batticaloa-Trincomalee Road.

Police have been posted both at the entrance of Batticaloa kachcheri as well within the kachchcheari premises to beef up the security.

Earlier, Sri Lanka's Commissioner of Elections rejected the appeal made by the political parties to postpone the elections to nine local authorities in Batticaloa district as the current security situation on the ground is not conducive for holding polls.

However, the Commissioner said that he would hold consultation with the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to strengthen the security in the Batticaloa district during election period and to provide adequate security to candidates contesting the elections.