PAFFREL
to demand use of 2005 registers
By Shelani Perera
The independent election monitoring body PAFFREL is to carry out
a campaign to force the Elections Department to use the 2005 electoral
register at the forthcoming local government polls instead of the
2004 register which had allegedly denied voting rights to thousands
of people.
In
a letter to Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake last week
PAFFREL requested that the 2005 electoral register be used for the
polls, as names of eligible voters were said to be have been omitted
from the 2004 electoral register.
However
the Commissioner had said the 2005 electoral register could be used
only if the polls were held after June 2006. PAFFEREL Executive
Director Kingsley Rodrigo told The Sunday Times that the organization
may take legal action as it is a violation of a fundamental right
of a person to vote.
“If
someone turns 18 after June 1 that person may have to wait for five
years to cast his vote. It’s only a few councils which have
their terms lapsing in April. Delaying the elections for a few months
wont affect the councils, but making use of the 2005 electoral register
will definitely pave the way for democracy,” Mr. Rodrigo said.
PAFFREL
is also lobbying to make production of the identity card compulsory
when voting. “Not only the official ID but any form of identification
certified by the grama niladhari should be acceptable.
We
made this proposal to the Elections Commissioner and were informed
that the matter had to be discussed with political party leaders,”
he said.
|