slelections.gov.lk Inclusion of Name in Electoral Register : Election Commission of Sri Lanka

Organization : Election Commission of Sri Lanka
Facility : Inclusion of Name in Electoral Register
Country : Sri Lanka

Inclusion of Name : http://www.slelections.gov.lk/web/index.php/en/enumeration
Home Page : http://www.slelections.gov.lk/web/index.php/en/

Sri Lanka Election Inclusion of Name

** Every person qualified to be an elector is eligible to vote at the Presidential Elections, Parliamentary Elections, Provincial Councils Elections, Local Authorities Elections and at referenda, provided such person is registered in the appropriate register of electors.

Related : Election Commission of Sri Lanka FAQs : www.electionin.org/1815.html

** Therefore, even if every citizen has the franchise, which is under the sovereignty of the people, it could only be exercised if the voter’s name is entered in the electoral register.

Process of Registration

Registration of electors under the Registration of Electors Act, No. 44 of 1980
** Registration of Electors and the revision of electoral registers are done annually.
** At the district level the Department of Elections is represented by Senior Deputy/ Deputy/ Assistant Commissioners of Elections (the Assistant Registering Officers) to direct and control the revision work under the supervision of the District Secretary/ Government Agent.
** The Commissioner of Elections appoints District Secretaries / Government Agents as the Registering Officers of the respective Districts.
** The Registering Officer appoints enumerators to visit house to house for compiling the particulars of voters.
** Chief occupants of each household are expected to duly perfect the enumeration form (BC form) supplied to them.

** Village level government officer, Grama Niladhari, undertakes the enumeration and Special Enumerators are appointed for this work in the Metropolitan areas (eg. Colombo and Negombo Municipal Council Areas) where the enumeration is complicated.

** Special enumerators are the persons who are serving in various capacities in the public service.
** Sri Lankan citizens of age 18 years or above by June 1st of the respective year and are not subject to afore mentioned disqualifications are eligible to be registered at a qualifying address.

Organizational Structure

The Divisional Secretaries provide their support to coordinate this activity by reporting the completion of the duties of the Grama Niladharies as enumerators in time, and reporting the deficiencies if any, to the District Secretary / Government Agent.

After collecting the completed documents (BC forms) and other relevant reports from the enumerators at the District Offices, the “A” List including the names to be deleted from the operative register and the “B” List including the names to be included in the revised register will be compiled by computer and exhibited at the following places for a 28 days of statutory period during the months of September or October each year (as mentioned in the Act).

** All District Secretariats or District Election Offices ( with respect to the whole district)
** All Divisional Secretariats (with respect to the area of authority)
** All Local Authorities (with respect to the area of authority)
** All Grama Niladhari Offices (with respect to the Grama Niladhari Division)

** People can scrutinize the operative register, the list of names to be deleted from it and the list of names to be included in it and can submit a claim, if his name is not recommended to register for the respective year and can submit an objection if a name of a person, who is not qualified to be registered as an elector, is recommended to be registered.
** The Claims and objections are entertained during the above mentioned 28 days statutory period.

On completion of enquiries into claims and objections conducted by the District Deputy/ Senior Deputy/ Assistant Commissioners of Elections and after inserting the names to be included and removing the names to be deleted, such amended electoral register is rechecked with the BC Forms handed over by the enumerators and then the “Draft Register” is exhibited at District Elections Offices, all Grama Niladhari Offices and on the web site of the Department, a week prior to the prescribed date for the certification of the electoral register.

During that week as well, any person has the opportunity to scrutinize the register, immediately inform the respective District Elections Office and the Grama Niladharis in writing and enter his/her name in the register, if he/she has discovered that his/her name is not entered even after he/she handed over the BC Form to the enumerator, during the prescribed period and is informed that his/her claim is accepted at the claim enquiry.

Activities of Annual Revision

Until the year 2012 the certification of the annually prepared electoral register was done on or around 31st May of the following year.
In view of the busy schedule and the holding of elections, the certification of the annual electoral register is decided to be carried out on the 31st October or the 31st December of the respective year.

The calendar for revision of Electoral Register is appended below.
These dates are subject to change depending on the circumstance in respective years and these changes are announced through mass media, gazette notifications and through this website.

Activity | If certified on 31st October | If certified on 31st December :
Inform the District Secretaries/ Government Agents and Deputy/ Assistant Commissioners of Elections and Secretaries of the Recognized Political Parties about the revision of the respective year Before 15th March Before 15th March

Instruction classes for enumerators. From 20th April to 10th May From 20th April to 10th May
Hand over the BC Forms to the Chief Occupants at the door to door Enumeration From 15th May to 21st June From 15th May to 21st June

Receipt of BC Forms from the Chief Occupants From 02nd June to 25th July From 02nd June to 25th July
Receiving and checking the enumerators’ documents at District Election Offices. From 15th June to 25th July From 15th June to 25th July

“A” list (names recommended for deletion from the operative electoral register)
“B” list (list containing the new names recommended for inclusion in the revised electoral register)
by the computer, check and prepare for the exhibition. From 15th June to 25th August From 15th June to 25th September

Exhibition of “A” and “B” lists and receipt of objections. 28 days within the month of September 28 days within the month of October
Activities in relation to the multiple registration From 10th September to 30th September From 07th October to 23rd November

Enquiries into claims and objections. From 20th September to 15th of October From 07th November to 30th November
Updating the electoral register Before 25th October Before 25th December
Certification of the electoral register On 31st October On 31st December