In Sri lanka, election for 65 local government institutions will be held on Saturday. The crucial local elections in the war affected North are the first in the area since the government declared victory in 2009 over the LTTE, which had been fighting for an independent Tamil homeland since 1983. Of the 65 local administrative bodies to be decided nationwide, 20 will be determined in the north, including 16 in Jaffna District, three in Kilinochchi and one in Mullaitivu. In the run-up to the elections, the Sri Lankan government is taking no chances and has made a concerted effort to convince voters of its development work over the past two years. Poll victory is important for the Rajapaksa regime for various reasons and they are trying to leave no stone unturned to achieve that. Political observers are of the opinion that victory in the local elections will enable the government to demonstrate that the Tamils of the North are with them. Elections to 65 local bodies were not held during the first round of elections earlier this year due to legal proceedings against the rejection of nomination lists and the hosting of the ICC World Cup Cricket matches in some areas.Sri Lankan Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya said that all arrangements have been made to ensure a free and fair poll to elect 875 members to 65 local bodies. A total of 5,688 candidates are contesting the poll at which nearly 2.6 million voters are eligible to cast their votes at 2,226 polling booths. Meanwhile , following allegations of electoral malpractices in the area by the ruling party, the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka said it would assign two teams of officials to monitor the elections in the Jaffna and Kilinochchi Districts in the North.