By Skandha Gunasekara The Election Commission (EC) has no powers to issue curfew passes, The Sunday Morning learnt. EC Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya said that it was up to the Police to issue curfew passes. “Curfew was imposed for the health security of the people during this pandemic. Therefore, the issuing of curfew passes is the jurisdiction of the Police, not the Election Commission,” Deshapriya said. He said that candidates, as individual citizens, could request curfew passes from their respective police stations. Candidates of the upcoming parliamentary election, including United National Party (UNP) Colombo District candidate Oshada Herath, requested for curfew passes from the EC Chairman. The Chairman said that candidate numbers would be given in early May and that the Police must make sure movement during the curfew is equal for all candidates. “The contesting numbers of the candidates will be gazetted on 4 May. While it is up to the Police to issue curfew passes to candidates, the Police is also responsible for ensuring that curfew passes are distributed fairly among candidates if they are to be issued,” he said, adding that the Commission would inform the Police regarding the details of the candidates.