May 07, Colombo: Sri Lankan government is to employ heavy security measures in the Eastern Province ahead of the provincial elections on May 10th.

According to official government reports over 20,000 security personnel and around 15,000 polls officers will be deployed for election duties to ensure a free and fair election in the region. According to the officials violent incidents so far has been low reporting only 20 such incidents with the majority being minor.

Quoting DIG Rienzie Perera Government Information Department reported that 10,000 security personnel will be on polling duties in the Ampara district alone.

PAFFREL, the main election watchdog in Sri Lanka said they would deploy over 2,500 election monitors including over 20 foreign observers on the election day.

The largest number of voters, 409,308, is from Ampara district. A total of 330,950 voters are from Batticaloa district while 242,463 will go to polls from Trincomalee district. Voters will elect 44 from a total of 1,342 candidates from 18 political parties.