Security forces form bulk of Sri Lanka postal voters

Over 5 lakh voters in Sri Lanka, a bulk of them security personnel, would be able to cast their ballot by post in next month's presidential elections.
Mahinda Deshapriya, the Commissioner of Elections said troops from the north western and north central districts of Kurunegala and Anuradhapura are the majority among the 545,000 postal voters for the January 8 election.
"Most of the soldiers come from these two districts," Deshapriya said.
Postal voters are those from the security forces and police and also public servants who would be doing election duties on the polls day. Sri Lanka has total 1.42 crore voters.

Deshapriya said the least number of postal voters have come from Mullaithivu in the north - the district which the LTTE maintained as their military capital during the over three decades old separatist campaign.
Deshapriya announced that postal voting will be held on December 22,23 and 24, two weeks before the polling day.

Troops are believed to be the incumbent Mahinda Rajapaksa's safe vote bank for his leadership as the Commander-in-Chief.
Rajapaksa, who seeks a record third term, is facing stiff competition from the opposition unity candidate Maithripala Sirisena.
Sirisena, a member of Rajapaksa's Freedom Party is expected to make in roads into the incumbent's support in the party.