23 July 2020 12:00 am
By Kelum Bandara
Those at quarantine centres will be voting on July 31 in a similar manner to postal voting, an official of the Election Commission said yesterday.
Its Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya told a news conference that the postal voting system would apply to them. He said there were as many as 6,200 voters at quarantine centres as at last Monday, but expected that the number would drop in the days to come.
He said polling would take place at these centres under the supervision of health officials including the Public Health Inspectors.
“Officials on election duty will wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Therefore, there is nothing to worry about,” he said.
Mr. Deshapriya theatrically displayed how voting would be conducted with PPE.
Once polling is done, ballot papers will be sealed as done in postal voting, to be counted later.
Also, he said special booths would be set up for voters referred to self-quarantine. The Commission will decide whether they could vote on a date before August 5 or not.
He added that there was a drop in the number of those who participated in postal voting this time. He some school teachers who applied for postal voting did not turn up.