Longer wait as Deshapriya delays decision on poll date

Tuesday, 9 June 2020 00:46 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Exact date for General Election to be announced later this week
Gazette with preferential numbers, names of candidates and polling centres to be issued today
EC to request DGHS to issue regulations under Quarantine Ordinance incorporating health guidelines
EC to seek additional funding with election bill to top Rs. 8 b with COVID-19 related additional expenses

By Chandani Kirinde

The Election Commission (EC) yesterday delayed announcing the date of the Parliamentary Election till later in the week, saying the Gazette with preferential numbers, names of candidates and polling centres will be issued tonight following which the poll date will be announced.

Election Commission Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya

“We will announce the date on 10, 11 or 12 June,” Election Commission Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya said.

The decision to delay the poll date announcement came after a lengthy discussion between the three members of the EC during which the guidelines issued by the Director General of Health Services (DHGS) were discussed.

The EC decided to request the DGHS to issue regulations under the Quarantine Ordinance incorporating some of the guidelines, particularly the ones related to campaigning such as holding of rallies with limited numbers etc.

Deshapriya added the cost of the election will be over Rs. 8 billion due to the additional facilities that must be made available at polling booths due to the COVID-19 outbreak. He said that Commissioner-General of Elections Saman Sri Ratnayake has held discussions with Finance Ministry Secretary S.R. Attygalle about getting additional allocations while a meeting with President’s Secretary P.B. Jayasundera is also slated in the coming days.

“We could have managed with Rs. 6 to Rs.7 billion but with COVID-19, there are many additional expenses. We must have around 15,000 additional officials from the health sector on duty, more vehicles, sanitisers, face masks, disinfectants etc. In some countries, election duty is a compulsory national duty. In Sri Lanka, the entire election mechanism rests with the public sector and hence they must be paid allowances for their duties,” he said.

The EC also discussed the outcome of the mock election held in Ambalangoda on Sunday and said such elections will be held this weekend in other districts as well.

“We learnt the shortcomings from the mock election and will conduct similar exercises in other areas too because it is important that officials are trained to conduct the poll under the ‘reasonable normalcy’ that prevails.”

Meanwhile the EC yesterday issued the Gazette notification prohibiting the use of any movable or immovable property belonging to the State or any State Corporation for the purpose of promoting or preventing the election of any candidate of any political party or independent group contesting the election.

The EC last week issued a Code of Conduct for candidates as well as for the media.

President tells public sector no politics during General Election