26 January 2010 10:50 am
Island wide voter turnout was more than 70% while the voter turnout for the North and East Provinces was less, People’s Action Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) Spokesperson Rohana Hettiarachchi said.
“The overall voter turnout was more than 70% island wide while the North and East witnessed a very low voter turnout of less than 20%,” Hettiarachchi said.
There were isolated incidents of violence that took place in Jaffna, Hambantota and Nawalapitiya with regard to grenade attacks and firing although these incidents were comparatively low considering the elections, Hettiarachchi said.
39 incidents of violence were reported at the time when the polls were closing, Hettiarachchi said. Although only 27 cases of violence were confirmed by the PAFFREL while 12 cases went unconfirmed, he added.
“There have been five cases of assaults, seven cases of intimidation and seven cases of illegal propaganda,” Hettiarachchi said. Seven of the most violent incidents were reported from the central province while the western and southern province had four incidents of election violence each, he said.
However when compared to the incidents of pre election violence that amounted to 757 the Election Day violence was comparatively low, Hettiarcachi said.