Elections Commission (EC)Chairman R. M. A. L. Rathnayake made a request stating that voting is a legal right granted to the citizens by the Sri Lankan Constitution and therefore, every citizen should exercise their vote.
Addressing a special media briefing held yesterday (8) morning to bring awareness on important information related to the 2024 Parliamentary Election which will be held on Thursday, November 14 from 7 am to 4 pm, the Commissioner said that the right to vote ensured by the Constitution to citizens should be used as it is the duty of the citizens to vote at the elections.
Rathnayake said that voting is not only the citizens’ right but it is also the citizens’ power, and therefore requested the public to go to the polling stations on Thursday, November 14 between 7 am to 4 pm to cast their votes.
The EC Chairman said that the index finger on the left hand will be used for marking on those who cast their votes at the Parliamentary Election as the little finger on the left hand has been marked at the Presidential Election and the thumb has been marked at the Elpitiya Pradeshiya Sabha Election held recently.One of the following nine documents is mandatory to be produced by voters at the polling stations as proof of personal identification in order for ballot papers to be issued to them to cast their votes for the Parliamentary Election.
The documents that can be produced to verify identity by voters at polling stations are the old or new National Identity Card issued by the Department of Registration of Persons, a valid foreign passport, a valid driving licence, the old and new Pensioners’ Identity Card issued by the Department of Pensions, the Elders’ Identity Card issued by the Divisional Secretariat, the Bikkhu or Priest Identity Card issued by the Department of Registration of Persons, a letter issued by the Department of Registration of Persons confirming the particulars of the National Identity Card, a temporary Identity Card issued by the Election Commission, a temporary Identity Card issued to disabled persons by the Election Commission.
The ballot paper should be marked for one political party or one independent group by the voter only with the ‘X’ symbol and the same ‘X’ symbol is applied to marking preference votes from minimum of one candidate to a maximum of three candidates. Ballot papers marked with ‘X’ symbol for a political party as well as an independent group will be rejected. Also, ballot papers marked with ‘X’ symbol for more than three candidates will be rejected and any identification mark written or drawn on ballot papers will also be rejected, the EC Chairman said. Campaigning during the ‘Silent Period’ from midnight on Monday, November 11 until Election Day on Thursday, November 14 is strictly prohibited, the EC Chairman added.