Colombo  - Voting in the first local elections since the defeat of Tamil rebels in northern Sri Lanka opened Saturday, officials said.

Elections are being held for municipal council in the Jaffna town, 396 kilometres north of the capital and urban council in Vavuniya, 240 kilometres north of the Colombo.

It is the first election in the northern province without the presence of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam guerrillas who held major influence for more than 26 years before they were finally crushed by the military in May.

At least one of the parties contesting the elections known as the Tamil National Alliance was considered close to the rebels.

In the Jaffna Municipal elections 100,417 voters were registered to vote while in Vavuniya 24,616 voters are eligible to cast ballots.

"The voting is in progress without any serious incidents and will be carried out throughout the day until Saturday evening," an election official said. (dpa)