Provinces poll today

Saturday, 21 September 2013 01:03 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Polling commences at 7 a.m. in North, North-Western and Central provinces
Thousands of candidates in the fray
Violence, abuse of state resources mar polls in north and south
Army denies allegations of involvement in electoral process

By Dharisha Bastians Three provinces will vote to elect provincial legislators today under the contentious 13th Amendment to the Constitution, even as the world turns its eyes on the historic ballot that will get underway in the country’s formerly embattled north. The North Western and Central Provinces will begin voting at 7 a.m. where violent internecine battles for preferential votes have broken out within the ruling UPFA which is widely expected to cruise to comfortable victory in today’s election. 1517 candidates will vie for 58 seats on the Central Provincial Council while 52 seats are up for grab by 1362 candidates contesting in the North Western Province. The ruling UPFA, UNP, JVP and Sri Lanka Muslim Congress will be the main parties contesting the North Western and Central Provinces. Both elections have seen violent clashes between candidates, an abuse of state resources by ruling party politicos and a flagrant disregard for election laws, polls monitors report. In the Northern Provincial Council election that is the focus of today’s electoral battles, 38 seats are available on the provincial legislature that will be contested for between 906 candidates in the fray. The Tamil National Alliance, the ruling UPFA, the UNP and the SLMC will contest the Northern election. Sporadic violence has marred the Northern poll, especially after the home of Tamil National Alliance candidate Ananthi Sasitharan was attacked in the early hours of yesterday and election monitors noted the continued involvement of the military in the election process. The Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) said it had received 18 complaints of unidentified men with “short hair that walk to marching rhythm” reported doing propaganda activities in Jaffna, Kilinochchi, and Mullaitivu. Another local monitoring body, PAFFREL said it had confirmed 12 complaints against the Army in the North. Late last night, tensions were reported by monitors in Mirusavil, Navakuli Junction, Kachai, Pallavi and Maravanpulavu in the Jaffna District due to heavy military presence. Military Spokesman Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya has vehemently denied the allegations of military involvement in pre-polls violence in the Northern Province. He said the allegations were an attempt to tarnish the good image of the military in the region. Meanwhile the Centre for Monitoring Election violence expressed concerns about low voter turnout due to the distance between voters and their respective polling stations especially in the Mullaitivu District.