24.8.2008

www.news.lk to post official results immediately upon release by Elections Commission. In addition arrangements have been made to post the official results of the provincial councils of North Central and Sabaragamuwa via the mirror website of the Government Information Department http://mirror.news.lk

Polls for the North Central and Sabaragamuwa provincial councils ended this evening at 4:00 pm without any major incidents being reported. Election officials say nearly 70% of voters in the two provinces have voted in today's election.

The Department of Elections said the casting of the votes proceeded peacefully apart from a few isolated and minor incidents.

A total of 21,000 Police Officers have been deployed while another 1,000 soldiers were on standby to provide security.

A total of 1,772 polling stations were set up in the Sabaragamuwa and North Central Provinces to select the 77 councilors for the next four years.

Counting of postal votes started at about 4.30 pm this evening at the main centers in four districts.

The results of the postal voting are expected to be released first, but the first results from the respective electoral districts will probably be out only after midnight, officials from the Elections Department say.

The Official Government News Portal, www.news.lk as in previous elections is ready to be the first to post the official results on the internet.