Colombo: Election Commission of Sri Lanka has decided to hold the Sri Lankan parliamentary elections delayed by three months due to coronavirus. The new date was announced after the sanction of health authorities. Commission chairman Mahindra Deshapriya said a mock election will be held this weekend to test the new health measures being implemented at polling booths and counting centers.
According to official data, 11 people were killed and 2,000 were infected due to the Corona Virus. The election was postponed indefinitely. Commission member Ratnajeevan Hoole said that adequate time will be given within the election date to prepare for the health guidelines.
President Gotabaya Rajapakse hopes his party will come to power in parliament with a two-thirds majority. This majority would give him more power to overturn the Constitution. The new dates are set for April 25 and June 20, respectively.
The country is in a state of uncertainty as to the law allows it to operate without a sitting parliament for three months. Last week, the Supreme Court had dismissed petitions filed by opposition parties and citizens demanding the repeal of Rajpax’s order, which was dissolved by Parliament in March.
