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Over 60,000 claim right to vote
More than 65,000 people have sent claims to the Elections Department to include their names in the current electoral register. “We still cannot give the exact figure of genuine claims as many people whose names are already in the register have also made claims,” Assistant Elections Commissioner, P.M Siriwardana said.

The electoral register list was displayed last month for people to get their names included in the 2005 electoral register if their names were not in the 2004 register. Once the display of the electoral registers lapses, the Elections Department will hold inquiries. However, this time the inquiries will be postponed till after the end of nominations

According to the Assistant Elections Commissioner of Colombo City, W.W.M Deshapriya, there were 20,000 claims and less than 100 objections.
The next highest number of claims were reported in Gampaha District with 7,815 claims and 35 objections, followed by Matara , District with 6,734 claims and 14 objections, Hambantota District with 4,833 claims and 26 objections and Galle District with 4,170 claims and 96 objections.

Assistant Elections Commissioner of Polonnaruwa District T.A.C.N. Talangama, said that out of 2,225 claims received, 1,190 were from Medirigiriya which was once attacked by the LTTE.

“Last year, we got only 107 claims from this area. However, people continue to get their names registered at their former residences. I asked the grama niladharis to check whether they have relocated to their former places of residence and inquire from those people personally, before recommending the inclusion of their names in the register,” he said.

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