Postal votes are being counted

The Election Commission revealed that voting ended at 4.00pm yesterday. According to reports received at the close of the poll, the estimated voters turnout was approximately 60 % and 65% of the registered voters cast their votes in Amparai district, 55% voters have cast their votes in the Batticaloa district , meanwhile 60% voted in the Trincomalee district.
A total of 1342 candidates were in the fray in the East Provincial Council election. The polling took place in the Amparai, Batticaloa and Trincomalee districts to elect 37 members for the East Provincial Council. A total of 982,721 eligible voters in the three districts polled to elect 14 members from the Amparai district, 11 from Batticaloa and 10 from the Trincomalee districts. The political Party or the independent group which receives the highest number of votes will receive extra 2 bonus seats.
In the meantime, Election Commission Department in a press release said that there are some allegations made by some political parties and the Department will get a decision after considering the polling agents’ confidential reports. Election Commission Department sources said that is the normal practice adhered in elections in Sri Lanka.
Latest reports revealed that ballot boxes from all the polling stations have been brought to the respective counting centers. In the meantime our Correspondent reports that postal votes are being at present counted and tallied.