SPECIAL VOTERS(WITH DISABILITIES AND SPECIAL NEEDS)

Senior Presiding Officer or any other officer on his behalf, will explain only the manner of voting to those voters who could see but do not know how to mark a ballot paper. The voters who cannot mark the paper with his/ her hand due to blindness or physical disability are allowed to accompany a person to the polling station. These voters should bring a letter issued by the Grama Niladhari and certified by Government Medical Officer. After duly establishing the identity of the voter, the assisting person of the voter can mark the vote at the cubicle in front of the Senior Presiding Officer and another member of the poll staff. When a visually impaired voter is not accompanied with an assisting person the Senior Presiding Officer will go to the cubicle with the voter along with another officer, inquires from the voter and marks the vote according to will of the voter in front of the other officer, as has been done at previous elections, though there is no mention in the Act, of such situation