Parliamentary poll could be delayed beyond July 2020: EC

The Elections Commission of Sri Lanka informed the Supreme Court a short while ago that the parliamentary election cannot be held on June 20, 2020.

The Commission revealed that the parliamentary election 2020 would be further delayed during the hearings into eight fundamental rights petitions filed in the Supreme Court over the reconvening of parliament in which the EC has been cited as a respondent.

Counsel for the Commission, President’s Counsel Saliya Pieris told a five judge bench of the Supreme Court led by the Chief Justice that it would not be possible for the Elections Commission to hold the poll on June 20th as planned.

Pieris PC informed court that the Commission would require 9-11 weeks after the health authorities greenlight for an election in order to make preparations, explaining that curfew and restrictions on movement were resulting in a serious reduction of manpower and workable hours.

After Counsel for the Commission made this announcement, President’s Counsel M.A. Sumanthiran who appeared for Chitral Guneratne, informed the Supreme Court that he would not pursue the petition in which the sole relief sought was to cancel the gazette nominating June 20 as election date.

The Elections Commission told the Supreme Court that it was mindful that it was a creature of the constitution and therefore advised the Secretary to the President to request the president to seek an opinion from the Supreme Court on the matter of the delay in elections.

However the Secretary to the president informed the Elections Commission that HE the President did not intend to seek the advice of the Supreme Court on the matter.

“Subsequently the June 20th election date was fixed on the assumption that the islandwide curfew would be lifted by April 27th as announced by the Government. Today it is the 20th of May. 20, and 23 districts still have night curfew. Curfew is still in place in two districts. Normally officials involved in election preparation work are on duty 16-18 hours, now can do no more than 10 or 12,” Counsel for the Elections Commission told the court.

Making submission on behalf of Elections Commission member Ratnajeevan Hoole, Asthika Devendra explained that the Commission had received a media release stating that 17-19 March were special holidays and not public holidays. However, subsequently the Commission received the gazette saying they were public holidays.

As per the Holidays Act, a public holiday is not a working day, Devendra informed the Court. “The Commission had acted on a media communication received, but it now appears that the nominations received on those dates are invalid” Hoole’s lawyer said.

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