High turnout but not-so-peaceful conditions in Puttalam
In the North Western Province, Puttalam district recorded a high voter turnout of 70% by yesterday evening, though a number of incidents were reported from the district.
Puttalam District Secretary N. H. M. Chithrananda said there was keen interest among voters.
“Though several minor incidents of violence were reported, there was no hindrance to election work," he said.
The Puttalam district, with 587,883 registered voters and 453 polling stations, had a number of incidents of election law violations.
On Friday night, 3 persons were injured when a group, allegedly supporters of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, attacked a van belonging to United National Party candidate Mohammed Asik from the Kalpitiya Pradeshiya Sabha (PS).
Puttalam police said a complaint has been lodged with regard to the incident.
The Police Special Task Force was deployed in the Thillaydi area, when supporters of a candidate, who gathered at his residence, refused to vacate the premises and started a heated argument with police officers.
A UPFA candidate lodged a com- plaint with the Chilaw Police over verbal abuse by UNP MP Sisira Kumara Abeysekare, opposite Nanda National School in Chilaw, yesterday.
A 38-year-old man was arrested by Puttalam police for distributing bottles of carbonated drink to voters near Rishard Bathiudeen Maha Vidyalaya in Thillaydi .
Madampe police arrested a UPFA candidate and another person, over a fight that damaged houses.
Candidate Dinuksha Illanda for the Wennappuwa PS area was seen obstructing voters near the polling station.
Voters numbering 714, from small islands off Kalpitiya, such as Baththalangunduwa, Palliyawatte, Uchchmunai, Kirimundalama, Thorapaaduwa arrived by fishing boats to Mohoththuwarama island polling booth, to cast their votes.
Kalpitiya Divisional Secretary Chathura Jayasinghe said transport arrangements had been made for the islanders.
Kurunegala, with 1.3 million registered voters and 1,091 polling booths, had a voter turnout of about 30% by noon yesterday, which gradually increased to 60% by evening, in a peaceful atmosphere of very few reports of election related violence.