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3,000 Grama Niladhari shortfall holds up voter list
View(s):By Ryan Casiechetty
The shortage of Grama Niladharis is holding up the process of registering voters making it difficult for the Election Commission to keep to its deadline.
Chairman of the Sri Lanka Government Officer’s Trade Union Association, Sumith Kodikara said there is a shortage of about 3,000 Grama Niladhari. There are 14,000 of them at present.
“There is a huge issue in making the updated list of voters, as the last update was in 2019. The Grama Niladharis couldn’t visit homes due to the Covid-19 crisis and the economic crisis.’’
He said it would take a month to prepare the final list of eligible voters.
Registering can be done online, he said.
Mr Kodikara said the Government is not holding exams to recruit new Grama Niladharis.
The chairman of the Election Commission, Nimal Punchihewa, told the Sunday Times that Sri Lankans can register online. “Then, it won’t be necessary for the Grama Niladhari to go from house to house.’’
Director of PAFFREL (People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections), Rohana Hettiarachchi, said that due to the shortage of Grama Niladhari, many officers have been assigned to two or more divisions.
He said other Government officers have also been assigned and through this, the workload is somewhat distributed.
“A system will be implemented soon to get separate lists for those disabled individuals, new voters over the age of 18 years, and teenagers aged between 15 and 18 years.’’ By doing so, it will be easier in the future to maintain the registered electorate, he said.
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