[TamilNet, Friday, 09 April 2010, 11:04 GMT]
A record number of candidates, numbering more than 1800 contested for the parliamentary seats in the North and East, but Eezham Tamils responded to it by a record low in participation. The turnout was only 18 percent in the North. Even after including the displaced it is only 23%. The clear verdict of Eezham Tamils, said in the most profound democratic way under circumstances possible, is that they have no confidence in democracy under Sri Lankan State. Another interesting observation is that in the entire Jaffna district, the leading Tamil National Alliance (TNA) totally polled just 65,119, only as much as the 64,256 votes cast in favour of Vaddukkoaddai Resolution by the diaspora in UK alone. The silent but vast majority of Eezham Tamils at home demand new genre of political organisation and leadership is the message of Thursday’s polls.
The turnout in Jaffna electoral district at the close of polling Thursday evening was 18.16%. When the votes of people displaced from Jaffna and living mainly in Puththa’lam and Colombo were included, the total percentage polled for Jaffna electoral district became 23.33%.
The ruling UPFA alliance, contested in the Jaffna electoral district by the EPDP and the SLFP, has polled 47,622 votes. The opposition UNP, with the chief candidate of the wife of slain Tamil MP Maheswaran has registered 12,624 votes and the All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC) registered 6,362 votes. The results are yet to be finalised and published by the Sri Lankan Department of Election.
TNA secures 5 of the 9 seats in Jaffna district, while Douglas Devandanda’s EPPD secures 3 and the UNP 1.
Douglas Devananda of the EPDP scored the highest number of preferential votes, 28,585 in the district.
TNA’s candidate Mavai Senathirajah has received 20,501 preferential votes, Suresh Premachandran registered 16,425, Vinayagamoorthy 15,311, S.Saravanabavan 14,961 and S.Shritharan 10,057 preferential votes.
Silvestri Alantine alias Uthayan of the EPDP registered 13,128 and Murugesu Chandrakumar alias Aosk registered 8,105 preferential votes.
Vijayakala Maheshwaran has received 7,160 preferential votes.
The SLFP candidates have been sidelined in Jaffna.
In Vanni electoral district, TNA has polled 41,673 votes, UPFA 37,522, UNP 12,783, Democratic People’s Liberation Front 5,900 and EPDP 2,867. TNA secures 3 seats, UPFA 2 and the UNP 1.
Final results of Trincomalee electoral district is yet to be announced. The results from the other two districts have been announced.
In Batticaloa district, TNA received 66,235 securing three seats, UPFA 62,009 receiving one seat, UNP 22,935 securing one seat and Pillayan’s TMVP 16,886.
In Digamadulla (Ampaa’rai), UPFA scored 132,096 securing 4 seats, UNP 90,757 receiving 2 seats, TNA 26,895 resulting in one seat and TMVP 1,490.
