• Wants polls five to seven weeks after assurance
• Says SJB is keen to have elections but not while endangering public

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday said the Parliamentary Election can only be held if a written assurance that COVID-19 was under control in Sri Lanka from Director General of Health Services Anil Jasinghe is given.

Premadasa said he made the request from the Election Commission when he visited the Commission yesterday.

“If the Director General of Health Services can provide a written assurance that the virus was controlled and the overall health of the country was at a good point, we are prepared to launch our election campaign even tomorrow,” Premadasa stated.

He stressed that the SJB was supportive of holding an election but would not do so while risking the safety and health of the general public. Premadasa charged that the election date should be set several weeks after a public health assurance is issued, to enable political parties to campaign.

“I thanked the Election Commission for delaying the General Election, having taken into consideration the health crisis the country is facing. However, the SJB is a democratic party, we are for having elections. Nevertheless, we do not want elections over the graves of the public. The date which the election should be held needs to be set five to seven weeks after a comprehensive medical assurance is given by the health authorities,” he explained.

Premadasa stressed that any election which would put the general public in danger and expose them to the COVID-19 virus was of no use for the progress of the nation. “We can’t take Sri Lanka forward over the graves of the public,” he added.

SJB opposes new election date set by EC