Chandrika leads in most districts

COLOMBO, Dec 21 (AP, PTI, UNI) — Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga was leading in five of the seven districts over her political opponent Ranil Wickramasinghe till midnight as the counting of votes of the presidential elections gained momentum.

Of the postal ballots counted, Ms Kumaratunga was leading with 41.25 per cent votes in Jaffna, with 47.50 per cent in Moneragala, 49.38 per cent in Puttalam, 55.68 per cent in Anuradhapura, 48.93 per cent in Galle and 51.13 per cent in Ratnapura.

Ms Wickramasinghe of the United National Party was leading in Tamil-dominated Vanni and eastern Batticaloa districts with 65.53 per cent and 68.30 per cent, respectively.

Earlier Chandrika Kumaratunga took a marginal lead in preliminary ballot count in Sri Lankan elections today, a television station reported.

Out of 3,784 votes counted so far in the presidential election, Mr Kumarantunga got 1,889 and her rival Ranil Wickremesinghe of the United National Party secured 1,679 votes, the privately run ITN television station reported. Other candidates polled 216 votes.

UNP’s Ranil Wickremsinghe was leading in Wanni and Batticaloa.

Night curfew was clamped in Sri Lanka as counting of votes began in today’s presidential election.

A top government official said that the curfew had been declared to maintain law and order.

The curfew would be in force only till tomorrow morning.

Meanwhile, twelve persons were killed in poll-related violence in Sri Lanka today as nearly 80 per cent voters, shrugging off fears of the LTTE attacks, cast their votes amidst heavy army and police deployment in the presidential election, crucial for the future of ethnic strife-torn island nation.

The biggest surprise came from northern Jaffna, scene of relentless battle between the army and the LTTE, where over 45 per cent turnout was recorded ignoring an appeal by the Tamil rebels to boycott the poll.

All casualties were reported from Sinhalese-dominated southern Sri Lanka.

President Chandrika Kumaratunga, who is convalescing from splinter injuries on her right eye sustained in Saturday’s suicide bomb attack, cast her vote at her official residence here after obtaining special permission from the Election Commission and with the consent of rival candidates.

Ms Kumaratunga, who is seeking her second successive term in the office, is pitted against main opposition United National Party (UNP) candidate Ranil Wickramasinghe and 11 others.

Ms Kumaratunga’s mother and Prime Minister Srimavo Bandaranaike came in a wheelchair to vote at the President’s home town Gampaha, while Mr Wickramasinghe voted in the capital.

After casting his vote, Mr Wickramasinghe said he was confident of leading Sri Lanka into the new millennium.

The entire 50,000-strong police force was mobilised for the poll, while armed forces played a back-up role.

The LTTE had issued warnings to the Tamils, who constitute 12.5 per cent of the 11.8 million electorate, to refrain from voting, but there was no

disruption of the poll process by them today.

Moderate to heavy voting was reported from several parts, including the districts which are pre-dominantly inhabited by the Tamils and Muslims.

Left and Democratic Alliance presidential candidate Vasudeva Nanayakkara alleged that supporters of the People’s Alliance (PA) prevented voters from freely exercising their franchise. He said he had complained to the Election Commission in this regard.

The two ruling party supporters were killed in police firing at Dammalasurya, about 70 km from here, when the latter’s vehicle came under attack, official sources said.

Meanwhile, former Indian Election Commissioner G.V.G. Krishnamurthy, who had been invited to monitor the presidential election in Sri Lanka, today said the poll process was “peaceful, free and fair” in the Gampha region assigned to him.