Special joint operation unit to address election emergencies

A special Joint Election Emergencies Operation Unit, headed by the Election Commission and the Disaster Management Centre (DMC), has been established to prevent disruptions that the voting process and election duties may face due to natural disasters and emergencies.

The Joint Election Emergencies Operation Unit operational 24 hours from 14th to 19th of November.

District Election Emergencies Coordinating Office (DEECO) will function in the 25 Administrative Districts headed by the respective District Secretary with representatives from ECOSL and DMC.

Its specific objections are to ensure accessibility to 12845 polling centers by the public to exercise their right to vote, to provide unimpeded access to 1550 counting centers and facilitate officials to conduct election tasks and responsibilities as well as  to prepare, coordinate and execute emergency plans among all essential service organizations in emergencies to achieve the mandate of the Election Commission of Sri Lanka.

The Election Commission, the Ministry of Public Administration, Disaster Management & Livestock Development, the Disaster Management Centre (DMC), the Tri-forces, the Police and many other partner institutions will work in coordination for this joint establishment.

The Election Commission said the office of this special unit is set up at the DMC’s premises.

The public is urged to inform the Joint Election Emergencies Operation Unit on any disaster situations that may affect the proceedings of the Presidential Election via following contact numbers: 0702 117 117 / 0113 668 032 / 0113 668 028 / 0113 668 029 / 0113 668 030.

The public can also call the DMC on 117.

Accordingly, the following public institutions have partnered for this special unit:

• Election Commission Office of Sri Lanka (ECoSL)
• Ministry of Public Administration and Disaster Management and Livestock Development
• Ministry of Defence (MoD)
• Office of the Chief of Defence Staff (OCDS) and Tri Forces
• Disaster Management Centre (DMC)
• Joint Election Emergencies Operations Unit (JEEOps)
• District Election Emergencies Coordinating Office (DEECO)
• Ministry of Health
• Ministry of Power and Energy
• Ministry of Telecommunications and Information Technology
• Ministry of Transport
• Ministry of Petroleum
• Ministry of Mass Media and Information
• Sri Lanka Police and Special Task Force
• Civil Security Department (CSD)
• Department of Meteorology
• Irrigation Department
• National Building and Research Organization (NBRO)
• National Disaster Relief Services Center (NDRSC)
• Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC)
• Road Development Authority (RDA)
• Fire Brigade – Local Government Municipalities
• 1990 Ambulance Service- Suwaseriya
• International and National Presidential Election Observers