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Sri Lankan presidential polls largely peaceful

More than 50 per cent of the estimated 11.8 million Sri Lankan voters had cast their votes by noon today in a keenly contested presidential poll amidst very tight security.

Polling began this morning in the backdrop of a surcharged atmosphere following an assassination attempt on President Chandrika Kumaratunga, who is seeking a second mandate on the People's Alliance party ticket. Her formidable opponent is the United National Party's Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The election commission sources said by noon almost 50 per cent votes had been registered. In places like Anuradhapura and Batticaloa in the east, polling was brisk and even crossed 50 per cent. In Colombo district, where a suspected Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam woman suicide bomber triggered a bomb at an election rally addressed by Kumaratunga, polling was peaceful. No incidents of violence have been reported. However, in adjoining Gampaha, isolated incidents of poll-related violence took place.

The Centre for Monitoring Election Violence said one person was killed when police opened fire, allegedly on the ruling PA supporters when they tried to snatch ballot papers from a polling booth. It also reported some cases of violence from Anuradhapura, Myyanagana and Hampaha districts.

In eastern Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Ampara districts, large numbers of people came forward to vote. In the east, there are reports of intimidation, allegedly by LTTE supporters. In Jaffna, polling was peaceful, the election commission said.

UNI

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