On May 20, 2006, voters went to the polls to elect Municipal Councils in Colombo, Galle, Kalmunai, Gampaha, Urban Councils in Gampola, Wattegama, Kattankudy, and Pradesheeya Sabhas in Akkaraipattu, Potuvil, Seethawaka, Patha Hewaheta, Uda Palatha, Elpitiya, Koralepattu West, Eravur, Navithanveli, Addalachenai, Nintavur, Kobeiganey, and Balangoda.

CMEV has fielded 240 election monitors and 20 mobile teams.

Upto 12 noon on May 20th, election day, the CMEV received 33 reports of election related violence. Of these, 11 were catgeorized as major incidents. 21 were of violations of election law.

Polling was reported to be slow in most areas.

Among the incidents reported were:

Kandy District:

Uda Palatha PS

Egoda Kalugamuwa Muslim Central Vidyalaya: Polling Station No. 25; at about 1.30 a.m. on the 20th there was an explosion in the playing fields of the school; nobody was injured;

Mawatura Kalaimagal Tamil Vidyalaya: Polling Station No. 45; at about 9.30 a.m. Hemantha Jayasinghe the UNP polling agent was assaulted and chased away while he was on his way to visit this polling station; the assault was carried out by UPFA supporters according to the CMEV mobile team who reported the incident.

Saraswathie Vidyalaya, Pussellawa; Polling Station No. 36; at about 10.30 a.m. a group of UPFA campaigners were observed close to the school, influencing voters.

Gampola UC

Jinaraja Maha Vidyalaya: Polling Station No. 17, booth No. 2; at about 6.30 a.m. P. Shantha, the UNP polling agent, was assaulted while on his way to the Polling Centre and his documents snatched from him. He returned to the Centre after some time.

Jinaraja Maha Vidyalaya: Polling Station No. 5, Booth No. 1; 25 persons who attempted to enter the Centre were prevented from doing so by the Police at about 9.15 a.m.

Digamdaulla District

Akkaraipattu PS

At about 2.30 a.m. on the 20th, a grenade was thrown at the home of SLMC candidate Mr. Quddoos on Badurnahar Road.

Potuvil PS

Inspector Eatham Government Tamil School; Polling Station No. 11; over 200 voters were permitted to cast their votes without having their fingers marked with the ink that prevents people from casting a second vote. Police told the CMEV mobile team who observed this incident at about 10.30 a.m. that the ink was old and therefore could not be used.

At about 8.30 a.m. the Jumma mosque located near the hospital broadcast an appeal to voters not to vote for the SLMC, according to a complaint filed by Mr. Abdul Majeed, the SLMC organizer for the area. Mr. Majeed says that he holds Mr. Abdul Azeez, of Independent Group 2, responsible for this.

Colombo District:

Colombo MC:

Sri Abhayarama Daham Pasala: Polling Station No. 19; UNP candidate Sujeewa Sampath was observed by the CMEV monitors campaigning close to the polling station in his vehicle No. 9174.

CMEV was formed in 1997 by the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA), the Free Media Movement (FMM) and the Coalition Against Political Violence as an independent and non-partisan organisation to monitor the incidence of election related violence.

Dr. P. Saravanamuttu Co-Convenor	Sunila Abeysekera Co-Convenor	Seetha Ranjani Co-Convenor