According to the Election Secretariat, there are 22,412 eligible postal voters - 4,427 from Batticaloa, 9,468 from Ampara and 8,517 in Trincomalee.

The election for Eastern Provincial Council will be held on May 10 to elect 37 members in 1,022 polling stations in the East, with 1,342 candidates from 18 political parties and 73 independent groups in the fray.

Meanwhile, the Elections Commissioner had announced that a valid identity document was compulsory for voters at the May 10 Provincial Council Elections in the East in accordance with the Elections (Special Provisions) Act, No. 14 of 2004.

In the Court of Appeal Application No. 356\2008, it was decided that provisions of the Act be implemented at the election of members to the Eastern Province Provincial Council Elections, the Commissioner said in a release. Voters are advised to take with them any one of the identity documents mentioned below along with the poll card.

They are the National Identity Card, passport, driving licence, valid postal ID, railway season ticket ID, pensioners ID, Bikkhu ID, an ID with the photograph which is legally issued by a Government Authority or a special ID obtained for the Local Authority elections held in 2006 and 2008.

Any voter who does not possess any of these IDs will have to obtain a temporary one from the Grama Niladhari which has to be counter signed by the Divisional Secretary, the release said

IDs must at poll

COLOMBO: The Elections Commissioner yesterday announced that a valid identity document was compulsory for voters at the May 10 Provincial Council Elections in the East in accordance with the Elections (Special Provisions) Act, No. 14 of 2004.

In the Court of Appeal Application No. 356\2008, it was decided that provisions of the Act be implemented at the election of members to the Eastern Province Provincial Council Elections, the Commissioner said in a release. Voters are advised to take with them any one of the identity documents mentioned below along with the poll card.

They are the National Identity Card, passport, driving licence, valid postal ID, railway season ticket ID, pensioners ID, Bikkhu ID, an ID with the photograph which is legally issued by a Government Authority or a special ID obtained for the Local Authority elections held in 2006 and 2008.

Any voter who does not possess any of these IDs will have to obtain a temporary one from the Grama Niladhari which has to be counter signed by the Divisional Secretary, the release said.

The temporary ID would be issued free of charge and the applicants only have to produce a 1,1\4" x 1" photograph, it said. The release said the failure to produce an identity document with the photograph will be a disqualification to obtain a ballot paper at the polling station.