Counting in the Presidential poll in progress, results expec

[b]Counting in the Presidential poll in progress, results expected by afternoon[/b]

[b] Colombo, 18 November, (Asiantribune.com):[/b] Following the closure of polling booths all over the island at 4 PM on Thursday counting of the ballots commenced at 7.30 PM. However from 4:30 p.m., Postal votes, which were cast on Nov. 7-8 by over 320,000 government officers including Armed Forces and Police personnel as their services were required by the Elections Department on Thursday, were being counted.

There are about 710 counting centres throughout the country. It is expected that the counting of the ballots in the Presidential elections 2005 is expected to be concluded by today afternoon.

Earlier , brisk polling was reported from most areas of the country, as voters turned up at 10,486 polling stations.

The Elections Department sources said that nearly 75 per cent of the registered 13.3 million voters had turned up to vote during the voting period 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Some districts recorded a 80 per cent turnout.

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