gic.gov.lk Process of Voter Registration : Government Information Centre Sri Lanka

Organization : Government Information Centre
Facility : How to register as an Elector
Country : Srilanka

Download Form-A : https://www.electionin.org/uploads/54-Election-FormA.pdf
Home Page : http://www.gic.gov.lk/gic/

Process of Registration / Revision of Electoral Registers :
Step 1: Enumerator (Village level Government officer / Grama Niladari) appointed by the Registering Officer of the respective district provides the Registration form (BC form) to the Chief occupant of each house
Note: Enumerator fills the counter foil which is attached with the registration form (BC form) and hand over to chief occupant.
Step 2: Chief occupant signs the counter foil & gives it back to the Enumerator to certify that the registration form (BC form) has been received from the Enumerator
Step 3: The Chief occupant of each household has to fill all required information in the registration form (BC form)
Note: Enter details of all citizens of Sri Lanka ordinarily resident in your premises as on June 1st 2004 (even though they may be temporarily absent), and who are not less than 18 years of age on such specified date. If there are none such please state on.
Note: June 1st is considered as the registration date
Step 4: The filled registration form (BC form) will be collected by the Enumerator
Note: The chief occupant should obtain counter foil from the enumerator.

Eligibility :
Qualification Criteria :
** Must be a citizen of Sri Lanka.
** Must have attained the age of 18 years on the date of registration for the relevant register.
Note: June 1st is considered as the registration date
** Must not have been found or declared to be of unsound mind under any law in force.
** Must not have been serving or not served imprisonment during the immediate proceeding seven years.
** Must be an ordinary resident at the relevant address on the operative date.
** No person is entitled to have his/her name entered or retained in more than register or more than once in the same register.

Note: If the above qualification requirements are not met, the requisition for registration will be rejected.

Procedure:
Note: Registration of electors and revision of electoral registers are done annually. At the district level the Department of Elections is represented by an Assistant Commissioner of Elections (who is also the Assistant Registering Officer) to direct and control the revision work under the supervision of the District Secretary (former Government Agent), the administrative head of the District. Enumerators are village level Government officers/ Grama Niladari

Step 1: The Commissioner of Elections appoints them (District Secretary) as the Registering Officers of the respective Districts.
Step 2: The Registering Officer appoints enumerators and conducts training classes for them to visit houses for compiling the names of voters.
Step 3: Enumerator provides the Registration form (BC form) to the Chief occupant of each house hold. Special Enumerators are appointed for work in the Metropolitan area. (e.g. Colombo Municipal Council Area).
Step 4: Enumerator fills the acknowledgement form “Revision of Electoral Registers” which is attached with the registration form (BC form).
Step 5: Chief Occupant signs it & gives back to the Enumerator to certify that the registration form (BC form) is received from the Enumerator.
Step 6: Chief occupants of each household are expected to fill all required information in the registration form (BC form).

Note: Enter details of all citizens of Sri Lanka ordinarily resident in your premises as on June 1st 2004 (even though they may be temporarily absent), and who are not less than 18 years of age on such specified date. If there are none such please state on.

Step 7: The Enumerator undertakes the collection of the registration forms (BC forms) from each household.
Step 8: The electoral registers are revised and prepared with reference to a qualifying date. i.e. all Sri Lankan citizens of age 18 years or above on June 1st are eligible to be registered at a qualifying address.
Step 9: After collecting the completed documents (BC form) at the District Offices, all names to be deleted (“A” List) and names to be included (“B” List) will be compiled and exhibited for a 28 day statutory period during the months of November / December each year.

Note 1: Do not enter the name of a guest or a visitor, when filling the BC form.

Note 2: If particulars requested are not furnished in full, such name/s cannot be registered.

Note 3: If any person who ordinarily resides in the premises is temporarily resident abroad for the purpose of employment or study, the chief occupant may enter the name to be registered at his or her usual address. The chief occupant shall ensure that the address where the person concerned is resident for the purpose of employment or study is entered in the registration form.

Note 4: The chief occupant is advised to take action to obtain without fail from the Grama Nilahari/Special Enumerator to whom he/she hands over the perfected form, the detachable receipt at the right end of this form authenticated by such official to the effect that such form has been received by him or her.

Note 5: For your information Section 12(4) of the Registration of Electors Act, No.44 of 1980 is extracted below.
“12(4)- Every person who, being in possession of any information required under subsection (2) fails to give such information to the registering officer or to any person appointed by the registering officer for the purpose, or willfully gives any false information shall be guilty of an offence and shall, on conviction before a magistrate, be liable to a fine not exceeding five hundred rupees, or to imprisonment of either description for a term not exceeding one month or to both such fine and imprisonment”

Time line :
Process Time Line :
From 1st June 30th of to May of the following year

Submission Time Line :
Step 1: Conducting of instruction classes for enumerators.

** Working days – From 15th of May to 30th of May
** Holidays – all Public and Mercantile Days

Step 2: House to House Enumeration

** Working days – From 1st of June to 31st of August.
** Working hours – 9:00 am to 12:00 noon and 1:30 pm to 4:00 pm
** Holidays – all Public and Mercantile Days

Step 3: Checking the enumerators’ documents at district election offices.

** Working days – From 15th of July to 15th of October.
** Working hours – 9:00 am to 12:00 noon and 1:30 pm to 4:00 pm
** Holidays – all Public and Mercantile Days

Step 4: Typing of names in “A” lists (names recommended for deletion from current electoral register) and “B” lists (lists containing the new names recommended for inclusion in the revised electoral register) on stencils.

** Working days – From 1st of August to 20th of October
** Working hours – 9:00 am to 12:00 noon and 1:30 pm to 4:00 pm
** Holidays – all Public and Mercantile Days

Validity Time Line :
Registration of a voter is valid for only one year. Therefore the voters have to register annually.

Costs Related to the Service
Cost: All services are provided free of charge
Fee: Free
Penalties: None

Surcharge :
** If the voter is unable to submit his/her election registration form there will be no fine or surcharge, nevertheless that individual looses his/her chance to vote for at an elections until the next revision take place.
** According to the Section 12(4) of registration of electors Act, No. 44 of 1988

Every person who, fails to give required information to the registering officer or to any person appointed by the registering officer for the purpose, or willfully gives any false information shall be guilty of an offence and shall, on conviction before a magistrate, be liable to a fine not exceeding five hundred rupees, or to imprisonment of either description for a term not exceeding one month or to both such fine and imprisonment

Supporting documents required :
No support documents are required for registration of voters.
If anyone wants to make a complain after submitting a complain form, the individual will be called for an interview. For this interview the following support documents will be required.
** Birth certificate
** National identity card
** Declaration statement from Grama Niladari

Special Cases :
How can a voter register his/her name in the registration list in case of relocation?
Under such a circumstance, special facilities or opportunities are not provided to the applicant. The applicant would be able to register under the address during the revision of electoral registers, which is done annually commencing from 1st of June of each year.