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Election Commission meets: Deadlock continues on elections

13 May 2020

o No decision on issuing preferential numbers o Deadline to issue numbers, 15 May o EC meets political party representatives o Decides to wait and see till next week By Maheesha Mudugamuwa The Election Commission (EC) meeting held yesterday (12) concluded without reaching a final decision on the date to hold the general election as well as finalising a new date to issue preferential votes for candidates, The Morning learnt. The inability to reach a conclusion on the implications of the spread of Covid-19 in the country and the restrictions on movement coupled with the health guidelines, has posed a challenge for the EC in making a final call on the impending general election. The date to issue preferential votes, which was scheduled for 4 May, was postponed due to the issue raised at a meeting held with party leaders earlier this month regarding the validity of the nominations received on 17, 18, and 19 March, since these were declared public holidays by the Ministry of Public Administration in a Gazette due to the Covid-19 situation. Speaking to The Morning, a member of the EC, Prof. Ratnajeevan Hoole stressed that the preferential votes should be issued by 15 May to enable the election to be held on 20 June, which was the new date gazetted by the EC. “A total of 35 days should be given to political parties prior to the election for their campaigns and therefore, the preferential numbers should be issued before 15 May,” he noted. However, as communicated by Prof. Hoole, the Commission that met yesterday had not discussed the issuing of preferential votes, but instead had lengthy discussions focused on the petitions filed at the Supreme Court (SC). The Morning learnt that the EC decided to wait till next week to make a final decision on the elections since the petitions challenging the Gazette announcing the general election is to be taken up by the SC next Monday (18) and Tuesday (19). Representatives of political parties urged the EC to take the final decision on the long-delayed parliamentary election and inform the political parties immediately without dragging it further. The EC, last afternoon, met with political party representatives and discussed the current situation in the country. At the meeting, the majority of the political parties, including the United National Party (UNP) and Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), had requested the EC not to hold the election on 20 June, The Morning learnt. Former MP Dayasiri Jayasekara, who participated in the meeting and represented the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), told The Morning that all political parties requested the EC to decide on the election immediately so that the parties could decide whether to start their campaigns or not. Questions raised by the political parties included the issue of holding meetings amidst the restrictions implemented by health authorities to control the spread of Covid-19. Furthermore, Jayasekara noted that the election should be held before the ending of the EC’s term, which is scheduled in September. Meanwhile, UNP General Secretary Akila Viraj Kariyawasam said almost all the parties had raised concerns about calling for elections at this time, adding that it was impossible for parties and candidates to campaign for the polls. Speaking to The Morning, Prof. Hoole noted that while many political parties had raised concerns about holding the election in this climate, Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) representative Prof. G.L. Pieris wanted to hold the election soon. The EC would meet party representatives today as well, according to Prof. Hoole. Despite representatives of all parties seeking a firm confirmation on the decision pertaining to the current date of 20 June fixed for elections, the EC has not been able to reach a final decision.

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