More than 50% voter turnout in North

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 January 2015, 12:18 GMT]
Voter turnout was registered at 51% in Jaffna, 50% in Mannaar, 55.3% in Ki'linochchi, 68% in Mullaiththeevu and 60% in Vavuniyaa around 2:30 p.m., according to election department sources. The polling was peaceful in most of the places in the North apart form reports of a grenade explosion at Alvaay. Tamil National Alliance (TNA) canvassing for regime change in the South has arranged buses for the transport of the voters at many places in the North. In the meantime, SL military soldiers were instructed to distribute leaflets urging people to vote for Mahinda Rajapaksa.

A section of government workers were also instructed to canvass for Rajapaksa if they wanted to receive Samurdhi benefits.

EPDP was blocking the TNA supporters from accessing polling stations in the islets.

DAN TV, supporting Rajapaksa, was giving misleading information to the public by informing the public that the polling stations were having extended opening time from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Counting of postal votes begins at 4:30 p.m. as polling closed at 4:00 p.m., election department officials in Jaffna said.

Chronology: