Low voter turnout marks JMC, VUC elections, massive rigging by ruling party alleged

The first elections in Sri Lanka since the civil war ended in May held today (Saturday) in the Tamil-dominated north has been marked by very low voter turnout.

Only around 28 percent of total 1,00,417 eligible voters had cast their votes in Jaffna Municipal Council (JMC) election, Jaffna Secretariat sources said.

Less than 60,000 polling cards had been issued to the voters before the election.

In Jaffna, four political parties, Ilankai Thamizh Arasu Kadchchi (ITAK), United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA), United National Party (UNP) and Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) and two independent groups contested the election with one hundred seventy four candidates. The number of registered voters in the Jaffna MC is 1, 00,417 and sixty seven polling stations are located in JMC limit.

Journalists from independent media have been banned from going to the northern towns to cover the voting. But officials said there was some electoral monitoring by human rights groups.

Meanwhile, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has already accused the government of wide spread election malpractice particularly along the costal areas in Jaffna town.

TNA sources said that they have complained to the police regarding the malpractice and that the Election Commissioner has been informed of the election malpractice taking place.

Officials said counting of postal votes began at 4 p.m, the election officials said.

In Vavuniyaa, six political parties—Ilankai Thamil Arasu Kadchchi (ITAK), United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA), United National Party (UNP), Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), Sri Lanka Progressive Front (SLPF), and Democratic Peoples Liberation Front (DPLF) and three independent groups—participated in the election with one hundred thirty five candidates.

The number of registered voters was 24,626 who cast votes in 16 polling stations.

Polling began at 7 a.m. to 23 members of the JMC and 11 members to the Vavuniyaa Urban Council (VUC) in the Northern.

Results are expected to be announced at midnight.

“We have taken adequate measures to keep law and order situation normal. More than one thousand two hundred police personnel at all polling stations in the JMC and VUC have been deployed, “said Mr. Nimal Lewke, Deputy Inspector General of Police, for the northern province while briefing newsmen in Vavuniyaa.