EC opens re-registration after cancelling some polling stations

The Elections Commission on Tuesday opened a re-registration window for voters who had registered at polling stations that will not be established due to an insufficient number of registrants. The commission also allowed re-registration for voters whose ballot secrecy would be affected.

The commission had earlier announced plans to place around 600 ballot boxes in the Sri Lanka and Malaysia. However, it said some resorts and workplaces did not meet the required number of registered voters for polling stations to be set up.

According to the commission, ballot boxes will not be placed at 28 resort locations, three industrial workplaces and two overseas locations in the Sri Lanka and Malaysia. “The number of registered voters for these polling stations is below the stipulated minimum,” the commission said.

Voters who had registered at the affected locations have been asked to re-register at polling stations where ballot boxes will be placed. Re-registration will be open from 8:00 pm on Wednesday until 1:30 pm on Thursday. Only voters registered at the polling stations listed in the notice gazetted on Tuesday will be permitted to change their registration during this period. Those who do not re-register will be able to vote at their island of residence.

The commission also said voters whose ballot secrecy would be compromised may re-register. A list of affected voters has been published, with more than 5,000 people included. Ballot secrecy is considered compromised when fewer than one voter from a constituency is registered at a polling station.

Re-registration applications can be submitted online through the commission’s Re-registration Portal or Main Portal. Applicants are required to submit a copy of the identity document used for voting and a live photograph. Applications submitted through the My Portal require a verified eFaas account and do not require submission of an identity document or photograph.

Voters can check their registered polling location by sending an SMS with “VR” followed by their identity card number to 1414, or through the commission’s online portal. Further information is available via the commission’s hotline.

About 295,000 voters are eligible to vote in the election scheduled for 4 April. In addition to electing council members and women’s development committee representatives, a referendum will be held on whether presidential and parliamentary elections should be conducted on the same date.