Sri Lanka parliamentary poll on August 5

Colombo, June 10

Sri Lanka’s National Elections Commission Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya announced on Wednesday that the twice-postponed parliamentary elections will be held on August 5.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on March 2 dissolved the Parliament, six months ahead of schedule, and called for snap polls on April 25. However, the election commission in mid-April postponed the elections by nearly two months to June 20 due to the coronavirus outbreak in the island nation.

The commission last month informed the apex court that the polls cannot be held on June 20 because of the raging Covid pandemic.

The new date was decided following a unanimous decision reached between the members of the NEC, Deshapriya told reporters on Wednesday.

“We have signed the gazette (announcing the date) and sent it to the government printer,” he said.

This year’s election would see health guidelines such as wearing face masks and maintaining physical distance being practiced during the poll. — PTI