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18-year-old voters to get text messages from Polls Commission
View(s):The Elections Commission (EC) will start sending text messages to young voters on completion of 18 years of age, reminding them to register to vote, a senior official said. In order to facilitate the process, the EC is seeking information of those above the age of 15 years, so that, the reminder could be sent on their reaching 18 years of age. A separate list is currently being circulated with the voters list, for this purpose .
EC Director General Saman Ratnayaka told the Sunday Times, they have already requested that an amendment be passed in Parliament, so that a Supplementary List could be made every 3 months.
He said that, if the amendment is passed, those who become eligible to vote, need not wait for June to have their names included in the list. “This will enable the EC to make use of the updated list for the elections,” he added. Mr Ratnayaka said that the reminders will also enable the Grama Niladharis to keep track of those to be included in the list of voters who are 18 years and over.