COLOMBO — Voters must take one of nine valid identification documents with them to their local polling station at Sri Lanka’s presidential election, Election Commission Chairman R. L. M. Ratnayake said.
Speaking to the media on Friday (20), the eve of the election, Ratnayakae said producing the polling card is not compulsory.
“The official polling card is not compulsory. If you have a valid ID you can produce that at the polling centre and obtain a ballot paper on which you can cast your vote,” he said.
According to the official, valid IDs include:
- The national identity card (NIC), old or new issue
- Passport
- Driver’s licence
- Government pension card, old or electronic
- Senior citizen’s ID
- Clergy ID issued by the Department for Registration of Persons
- Letter issued by the Department for Registration of Persons confirming the details of the voter’s NIC
- Temporary ID issued for disabled people by the election commission,
- IDs issued to others by the election commission
It is compulsory that any one of these nine IDs be produced at the polling station, Ratnayake said.
Using mobile phones is prohibited at polling stations, as is taking pictures and recording video, Ratnayake noted, adding that weapons, smoking, drinking, taking drugs or arriving at the station having consumed alcohol or other intoxicating substances are all prohibited.
“Taking pictures of the ballot paper is against the law as is announcing at the polling station who your vote was for,” he said, elaborating that prohibited activities were not allowed either at polling stations or at counting stations.
Ratnayake also warned against engaging in vote-seeking, influencing a voter not to vote for a particular candidate, influencing someone to vote or not cast their vote at all, distributing or exhibiting handbills, statements, paintings or otherwise displaying a candidate’s symbol or photo in within the premises of the polling station or within 500 metres from its entrance.
-economynext.com
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