An overall voter turnout of 60-65 percent was reported from the three districts of the Western province in yesterday's election where an estimated 600,000 people did not have proper identification papers to vote, election officials and monitoring groups said.
Election officials said Colombo district had a 69 per cent turnout, Gampaha district 65 percent and Kalutara district 62 percent.
Polling card errors and identity card issues were among the main problems during yesterday’s polling for the WPC along with the incidents of illegal distribution of party symbol and candidate numbers.
The Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) said it received 62 complaints on election violence and violations -- 27 from Kalutara district, 22 from Gampaha and 13 from Colombo.
A CMEV official said more than 50 of the complaints related to identity cards acceptance, illegal election campaigning, threats and dual registration issues. He said nine major incidents including an attempted killing, threats and intimidation and use of firearms.
He said 35 of the complaints were against the UPFA and nine against the main opposition UNP.
The complaints relating to the use of firearms and threats were mainly from the Colombo Central and Mount Lavinia areas.
Gampaha district CMEV coordinating office said supporters of an opposition candidate of Biyagama came under attack by UPFA supporters and a CMEV monitoring group was assaulted in Kelaniya by an unidentified gang.
Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) spokesman Keerti Tennakoon said the identity card issue was one of most serous problems yesterday. |
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