705,085 electors are eligible to cast their postal ballots for the Parliamentary Election. 753,037 persons had applied for postal voting, however due to various reasons; the National Election Commission rejected 47,430 applications.
According to the National Election Commission eligible staff of offices of Medical Officer of Health will be able to mark the postal ballots between 9am and 4pm today.
Marking of postal ballots at all public institutions other than at District Secretariats, District Election Offices, Police Stations, Security Forces Camps, the Department of Civil Security Force and at health sector offices will take place tomorrow and on Wednesday between 9am and 4pm.
Meanwhile, postal voting at District Secretariats, District Election Offices, Police Stations, Security Forces Camps, the Department of Civil Security Force and at health sector offices will take place between 9am and 4pm on the 16th of July and between 9am and 2pm on the 17th of July.
Postal voters who are unable to mark their ballots on allocated dates will be able to do so, on the 20th and the 21st of July at respective District Election Offices.
Meanwhile, marking of postal votes at the Election Secretariat will be held between 9am and 4pm on the 16th of July and between 9am and 2pm on the 17th of July.
According to directives issued by Chairman of Elections Mahinda Deshapriya all postal voters must adhere to the election law and also must follow health guidelines issued to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Based on health guidelines issued to control the COVID-19 crisis, postal voters are required to maintain social distancing, use a face mask, and also sanitize the hands when entering the polling booth. Postal voters have also been requested to bring a pen to mark their ballot during the postal voting process.
The National Election Commission has announced that a valid form of identity must be produced at the polling centres to cast the postal ballot for the upcoming General Election.
Accordingly, postal voters must be in possession of either a National Identity Card, a valid Driving License, a valid Passport or a temporary Identity Card issued by the Election Commission and the official identity card bearing the National Identity Card number.
Returning Officers and Certifying officers will not allow persons to mark their postal ballots without a valid form of an identity card along with an official identity card.
Meanwhile, taking of photographs of or videoing the marking of postal ballots, postal voting centres and premises will be prohibited.
According to election law, the promotion of parties and candidates through the use of photographs, banners and other materiel are also banned in the vicinity of postal voting centres. No canvassing will also be allowed at postal voting centres.
The National Election Commission has announced that two monitoring organizations, the People’s Action for Free and Fair Election and the Centre for Monitoring Election Violence have been granted permission to observe the postal voting process for the 2020 Parliamentary Election.
(newsradio.lk)
