It’s official: Population at 20.26 m

Thursday, 7 March 2013 01:09 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

By Ashwin Hemmathagama

Our Lobby Correspondent

Providing the latest statistics, the Government yesterday confirmed to Parliament that the population has reached 20,263,723 by the end of last year, with the estimated population of persons over the age of 18 years standing at 13,780,000 and the number of registered voters at 14,451,263.

According to Minister of Water Supply and Drainage and Chief Government Whip Dinesh Gunawardena, the results of the information gathered by the census of persons and houses held in 2012 are yet to be published, but the Government will eliminate election-related frauds and secure the franchise using “rocket science”.

“Nobody has the power to disfranchise an elector. In accordance with the instructions issued by the Commissioner of Elections, annually under the provisions of the said act, any person who is qualified to be an elector should take action to have his name entered in the Register of Electors. People who fail to comply will deprive themselves of the chance of being registered as an elector, even though he is entitled to his right to exercise the franchise,” said Minister Gunawardena in response to a question raised by Opposition legislator Ravi Karunanayake.

However MP Karunanayake stated that there were many who still had not received the opportunity to get listed in the Register of Electors. “In my electorate – Northern Colombo, - there are over 8,000 eligible to enlist for elections. The registration period should not have time limitations. It should be open throughout the year rather than taking place in June,” suggested MP Karunanayake.