by Namini Wijedasa
Amid growing speculation that the government may call off its referendum on constitutional change, district assistant commissioners of elections said yesterday that every mechanism required to successfully pull off the plebiscite was already in place.

The referendum is scheduled for August 21, exactly two weeks from today.

Several officers, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that most districts had taken receipt of their ballot papers and were scheduled to post the polling cards to residences today. Polling stations have been gazetted, government officials notified of referendum duty and postal voting set to start on Friday. Training for senior presiding officers and other employees were to begin yesterday in many areas.

In Colombo, the Government Printing Department was to wind up work on ballot papers for the remaining districts last night and will complete distribution of the same by Thursday, said Neville Nanayakkara, Government Printer. He said that about 19 government agents have already collected their ballot papers, printed on costly imported sheets, and that only four were yet to do so.

Area elections officials said that even if the government should call off the referendum, as is being theorised, only a small percentage of the estimated funds would be saved. "We have already spent more than 75 per cent of the money allocated," said one official. "Calling it off at this time would save only a very small sum." The Government Printing Department, for instance, has spent a total of Rs. 20 million in plebiscite-related assignments.

Meanwhile, Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake has called a meeting of district assistant commissioners in Colombo on Saturday. They will address, among other issues, special measures to ensure that the referendum is conducted in a free and fair manner. No specific steps in this regard have yet been announced leading to concern among opposition parties.

Representatives from the United National Party, Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, Tamil United Liberation Front and Sihala Urumaya met Mr. Dissanayake for a discussion yesterday. They expressed fear that a government plot to rig the referendum was in the offing and asked him to take stringent measures to prevent malpractices. They also requested foreign observers, particularly from the European Union and the Commonwealth. Dissanayake told them that he has already informed the EU and would consider others too.

The opposition parties asked the commissioner to permit local observers, as well, to which he replied that it will be looked into. He also pledged special interest in postal voting at institutions such as the Central Transport Board, where malpractices have been reported in the past.

Meanwhile, Dissanayake said he will advise the chairmen of state media institutions not to violate referendum laws after the opposition parties complained of biased reports. They said that the state media persisted in spreading government propaganda while defaming parties which or persons who did not support them. Dissanayake said he had already advised the institutions but will do so again.

President Chandrika Kumaratunga is scheduled to hold a special cabinet meeting today on the referendum. This report fuelled speculation that the project may be called off but there was no official confirmation. All opposition parties have opposed the plebiscite and have generally called on the public to vote for the pot or ‘no’ but there has been active campaigning in this regard only by the JVP.