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Canvassing outside election booths in N-E: Request refused
By Shelani Perera
Elections Commissioner Dayananda Disanayake has turned down a special request to carry out canvassing outside polling booths set up for voters coming from LTTE-controlled areas in the North and East, citing security reasons and election laws.

At a meeting with party representatives this week the Polls Chief discussed proposals put forward by parties to ensure a free and fair election in the North and East where they believed rigging could take place at a high level.
The meeting was summoned following two petitions to the Supreme Court by two Presidential candidates asking for interim orders to prevent the setting up of booths in LTTE-controlled areas and for other measures to ensure a free and fair election. The case is to be taken up tomorrow. The Supreme Court requested the polls chief to report on measures to ensure a free and fair poll Following the Supreme Court order the UPFA submitted 12 proposals to the polls chief to be adopted in the North and East. One proposal was for party representatives to carry out their canvassing outside the polling booth before the voter enters it.

They cited this necessity as voters in uncleared areas were not aware of the policies of the respective candidates and they had the right to inform the voter about the candidate and the party policy. However the Commissioner turned down the proposal saying that he was unable to endorse the proposal officially.The parties also requested the Commissioner to deploy election officers from areas other than the North and East and not to appoint Returning Officers from Jaffna, Vavuniya and Batticaloa districts. The polls chief said Assistant Returning Officers from other areas would be appointed. A proposal was also made that there be total privacy for the voter when he marks the ballot paper, to which the Commissioner replied that each polling booth would be provided with a covered enclosure.

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