Local government polls commence under heavy security

Polling for the Local Government election began at 7.00am today at more than 13,000 polling centres across the island. The LG polls will  elect members for 340 Local Government bodies under the newly implemented election system. 

The Election Commission has urged all voters to mark their respective ballot papers with an X against the selected party symbol. 

The services of more than 65,000 Police Officers, 41,000Special Task Force (STF) officers and 7,278 other officers will be utilized for the Local Government (LG) Election, the government news portal reported.

Police Spokesman, Superintendent of Police Ruwan Gunasekara said that the officers will be deployed throughout the island, for election-related duties and to maintain law and order while the election is taking place today and in the immediate aftermath of the polls. He noted that 26,840 officers will be distributed among the 13,420 election centers. Every election center will have two armed Police officers.

Furthermore, 3,225 mobile Police units with 13,552 officers will be deployed island-wide for monitoring purposes. Furthermore, 99 STF mobile units will be located in selected areas as well, he noted while 175 riot Police teams will also be deployed during this period. Gunasekara noted that 464 barricades will be constructed and will be manned by 3,248 officers.

Over 1,200 armed Police officers will be deployed at election result centers countrywide.

The following images from Matara - pix by Jeewaka Jayaruk