HIGH VOTER TURNOUT

The general election was free, fair and peaceful Around 65% vote

Voting at yesterday’s general election began at 7.00 a.m. and ended at 4.00 p.m. amid a high voter turn-out and without major incidents. The counting of postal votes began soon after with the results streaming in from about midnight.

Additional Elections Commissioner U. Amaradasa said the turnout was at a satisfactory level and was expected to be in the range of about 70 per cent.

However, he said the voter turn-out at the January presidential election stood at 82%.

Peoples Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) Executive Director Rohana Hettiarachchi said several minor incidents of election law violations were reported yesterday from Colombo, Kattankudi, Batticaloa and Samanthurai.

He said a political party supporter had been arrested while distributing leaflets.

Mr. Hettiarachchi said the August 17 general election was the most peaceful, free and fair election with lowest number of incidents of violence, intimidation and corruption.

He appealed to the people to maintain the peaceful atmosphere even during the postelection period. District-wise the voter turn out was estimated as follows: Puttalam: 66.5 per cent; Anuradhapura: 70 per cent; Trincomalee 75 per cent; Digamadulla: 65 per cent; Kandy: 75 per cent; Kalutara: 70 per cent and Gampaha: 70 per cent. The voter turn-out in the Kurunegala district, from where former president Mahinda Rajapaksa contested the election, stood at 68 per cent; the Nuwara Eliya district: 75 per cent with a low voter turn-out of 55 to 60 per cent in Jaffna while in the Wanni electoral district it was more than 65 per cent.