COLOMBO, July 14 (NNN-SLNEWS) – Sri Lanka is set to hold its parliamentary elections on Aug 5, the country’s National Election Commission (NEC) announced, after it postponed the crucial polls twice due to restrictions linked to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We couldn’t hold the election before because of COVID-19. We have done our best. The parliamentary general election that was to be held on June 20, will be held on Aug 5,” NEC Chairman, Mahinda Deshapriya, said.
He added that the decision was taken unanimously by all three members of the NEC.
The elections were initially set to be held on Apr 25, after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa dissolved Parliament in Mar, following his landslide victory in the Nov, 2019, presidential polls.
The date was shifted to June 20, after lock-down measures were announced in mid-Mar.
The President’s Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna party has to win majority in the house, in order to secure the government’s full control in the semi-presidential representative democracy.– NNN-SLNEWS
