7TH LEAD

TNA wins civic elections in North

[TamilNet, Saturday, 23 July 2011, 17:58 GMT]
Despite widespread SLA harassments in Ki'linochchi administrative district and violations by UPFA-EPDP of election practices in Jaffna, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has won the civic elections in North by more than two third majority in all of the urban councils and most of the Piratheasa-Chapai (PS). Of 16 Piratheasa Chapais, the TNA has won 14. The UPFA captured two islands off Jaffna, Neduntheevu (Delft) and Oorkaavat-thu'rai (Kayts). These islands were completely sealed off for campaign by the occupying SL Navy. The SL Governor for the Eastern Province who was formerly a Navy commander in the islands was brought to Delft for Rajapaksa's election campaign. In Ki'linochchi, where Rajapaksa regime let loose its military even on the election day, the TNA has managed to secure at least 50% of the polled votes. In Mullaiththeevu, the TNA secured 7 seats polling 72% of the votes.



The TNA has won Urban Councils in North, Valveddith-thu'rai (VVT), Point Pedro and Chaavakach-cheari, by securing more than 72% of votes.

Only 51% of the voters participated in the elections in Jaffna administrative district, which has 392,342 registered voters. Of these, 201,112 participated in the civic elections. Valid votes were 176,292 and the TNA polled 133,787, which is 76% of the valid votes cast in the administrative district of Jaffna.

Valikaamam North PS has 63,224 registered voters. Only 18,705 (29.58%) took part in the election.

The three councils of Ki'linochchi district with 61,217 registered electors polled 39,828 votes. 35,500 votes were valid and the TNA received 68% of the valid votes, polling 24,086 votes.

Thu'nukkaay PS of Mullaiththeevu district has 5,227 registered voters. 3,401 were registered as participated in the elections. The TNA received 2,198 votes and the UPFA 847 votes. 72% of the valid votes were polled by the TNA in Thu'nukkaay.

The “participation” in Ki'linochchi administrative district and Thu'nukkaay PS was at 65%.

A large number of population have been killed in the genocidal war by the SL Military in 2009. An unspecified number of thousands are still in the custody of Sri Lankan military after the Vanni war.

The Jaffna electoral district comprises of Jaffna and Ki'linochchi administrative districts.

According to the released statistics by the SL Election Department Saturday night, the number of registered voters in Jaffna electoral district stands at 453,559.

Recently, the SL government dropped more than 300,000 voters names from the registry in the Jaffna electorate saying that most of them had fled the country.

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