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Immune to heart attacks and elections

V.S. Sambandan

COLOMBO: Sri Lankan Commissioner of Elections Dayananda Dissanayake has not voted since 1963 and does not intend exercising his franchise in the coming Presidential poll as well.

"In 1963, I voted in a village council election because I did not know much about politicians then, but since I got to know politicians I decided never to vote again," Mr. Dissanayake told reporters here on Friday.

Steps were being taken to prevent impersonation. "I know it will be your headline story if my vote is cast by someone else. So I have ensured that it does not take place".

Impersonation is one of Mr. Dissanayake's key concerns as he presides over an election spread across 22 poll districts. In 1982 the vote of the then Opposition Presidential candidate, Hector Kobbekaduwa, was said to have been cast by an impersonator.

On another personal note, Mr. Dissanayake, who suffered heart attack five times in the past, said he had a "mild attack" after the Supreme Court turned down his retirement plea in 2002. "I am getting immune to heart attacks and elections now."

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