Coronavirus: Sri Lanka EC says decision to postpone elections not taken

Chairman of the National Election Commission Mahinda Deshapriya has stated that no decision has been taken to postpone the general election due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Deshapriya made this observation on Monday evening following a meeting between the health officials and officials of the Election Commission, Colombo Page reported.

According to the Commission, health authorities have informed that there is no serious situation in the country to postpone the election which is scheduled to be held on April 25.

Sri Lankan opposition parties had yesterday requested the government to postpone the elections considering the COVID pandemic that has infected more than 20 people in the island nation.

"The general public is under pressure following this COVID-19 disease and it is not suitable to have an election in April," said former MP Athuraliye Rathana Thera, Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) General Secretary Ven. Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thera and several other Buddhist monks, who are contest the upcoming General Election under the political party 'Ape Jana Bala Pakshaya'.

"We have not yet decided an area to contest. We have a strong and outstanding list of monks. So far no decision has been taken to announce the names. It would be announced after handing over the nominations today or the day after,"

"People celebrate Sinhala and Hindu New Year in April. In the following month people are busy with Vesak Festival without any political differences," they added.

Due to the coronavirus situation, the Election Commission requests the political party secretaries, independent group leaders and authorised representatives to send only the authorized persons to the election office to hand over the nominations.

The Election Commission emphasises that only the Secretary or the authorised representative of a politic party or Independent Group Leader and the second person on the nomination list can enter the nomination hall. In addition, only one assistant can be brought to the nomination hall, Deshapriya said.

Deshapriya also urged the political parties to avoid calling for supporters, gathering, and marching around the nomination halls as the parades and illegal meetings are prohibited under election law and also due to the need to protect the public from the COVID-19 threat to the country.

In view of the alarming situation, health officials in the country are advocating social distancing, discouraging public gatherings, and closing down schools. Travel restrictions and mandatory quarantine of arrivals are also currently in place, Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka) reported.

As of yesterday, the deadly bug has killed, 6500 people; over 165,000 positive cases were reported and the number of cases outside side (87,000) has surpassed the Chinese toll of 80,860, according to the World Health Organisation.