In Sri Lanka, over 70,000 police and Army personnel have been deployed to provide security for Tursday’s local government elections. Police spokesman Senior Superintendent of Police Prishantha Jayakody said stern action will be taken against any person or group violating the election laws regardless of their political affiliations. Poll would be conducted at 7396 polling stations from 7.00am to 4.00 pm on Thursday. More than 3000 candidates are in the fray. The poll is not being held in Colombo city and the immediate suburbs as a precautionary measure to avoid any clash with the World Cup cricket tournament which Sri Lanka is co-hosting with India and Bangladesh. The same applies to local councils in the southern city of Hambantota and central region of Kandy.