May 05, Colombo: Sri Lanka government announced that 17 international poll observers have arrived yesterday at the invitation of the Election Commissioner to monitor provincial council elections in the Eastern Province which are to be held on May 10th.

The observers represent monitoring bodies of the Commonwealth, the European Union and the Asian Election Superintendents Association.

Government sources said the monitors of the Asian Election Superintendents Association who arrived in the country yesterday will meet the political parties and independent groups fielding the candidates for the polls and local election monitors on Tuesday in Colombo.

The poll monitors are to arrive in the Eastern Province on Thursday (08). They will be engaged in poll monitoring activities in all three districts of the Eastern Province, Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Ampara. The monitors will hand over their final report on the 12th.