International poll monitors arrive in Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 May 2008, 01:36 GMT]
International poll observers to monitor the Eastern Provincial council elections scheduled to be held May 10th arrived in Batticaloa Friday, sources in Colombo said.

The observers represent monitoring bodies of the Commonwealth, the European Union (EU), and the Asian Election Superintendents Association (AESA).

AESA monitors were drawn from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Maldives and Thailand.

The poll monitors met Sundaram Arumainayagam, Batticaloa Government Agent (GA), and some of the candidates contesting the elections at Batticaloa district secretariat.

The monitors will be engaged in poll monitoring activities in all three districts of the Eastern Province, Trincomalle, Batticaloa and Ampaa'rai.

The monitors will hand over their final report on the 12th, according to sources close to the Elections commissioner’s office.