Presidential Poll well under control and smooth so far – EC Chairman

By Kurulu Koojana Kariyakarawana   
Election Commission Chairman R. M. A. L. Rathnayake said yesterday that the process of conducting the presidential poll is progressing smoothly and remains well under control, with fewer election law violations compared to previous presidential elections.   
“We see almost no decorations, posters, or banners in town this time, which helps save money and reduces environmental pollution. This is thanks to the efforts of both the people and the police.   
It appears that electoral literacy among the public has significantly improved, which will certainly help maintain electoral integrity,” Rathnayake said during a meeting at the Elections Secretariat in Rajagiriya with the executive committee members of the Sri Lanka Press Association. 
Rathnayake noted that the electorate has matured and is committed to ensuring free and fair elections, despite several recent attempts to delay the presidential poll.   
He said that very few complaints of election violence have been received so far, with the majority of the complaints concerning violations of election laws, totaling just over 1, 000.   
Rathnayake attributed the calm atmosphere during this critical election period to the minimal presence of campaign propaganda materials, such as party decorations, particularly in the Colombo District.  “The police are effectively removing unlawful campaign materials, such as posters and cutouts. The Commission has provided three labourers to each police station nationwide to assist with this task. If you go out onto the streets today, you will hardly see any posters, flags, or symbols on the roads, or cutouts of politicians as in the past. This contributes to a peaceful and calm environment for the public.  I personally visit each district to monitor the situation, and the support from the Assistant Commissioners and law enforcement authorities has been commendable,” Rathnayake said.   

The Chairman also mentioned that all preparations, including selecting venues for polling stations and counting centres, have been completed, and the management of polling officials is well under control.   
He said that the Postal Department on Monday received ballot papers for postal voting and commenced distribution. Rathnayake said that 736, 589 applications have been received for postal voting in the 2024 Presidential Election. Out of these, 24, 268 applications were rejected, leaving 712, 321 applicants eligible for postal voting.   
Postal voting will take place on September 4, 5, and 6 at District Secretariats, Election Offices, and Police to mark postal votes. Additional dates, September 11 and 12 have been allocated for those unable to mark their postal vote on earlier dates. He said polling cards for the upcoming Presidential Election would be distributed from Sept. 3 to 8.