Sri Lanka’s June 20 election date inconclusive

Colombo: Sri Lanka’s decision to hold the parliamentary elections on June 20 was left in balance on Saturday as a special meeting of political parties to firm up the date ended inconclusive, party representatives said.
Sri Lanka in mid-April postponed the parliamentary elections by nearly two months to June 20 due to the coronavirus outbreak that has killed seven people and infected 690 others in the island nation.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on March 2 dissolved Parliament, six months ahead of schedule and called a snap election on April 25.
The independent election commission had called the meeting with party representatives in view of the ongoing lockdown caused by the pandemic.
“There was no final decision. We pointed out the difficulties faced by the public, their thoughts are not on the election,” Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the leader of the Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, said. “People are not ready for the election, health will be their main concern right now,” Dayasiri Jayasekera, another political leader from the Freedom Party, said.
The Election Commission having set the date said they would be directed by the health authorities in making the decision on the date of the poll.
The government allies took the position despite the pandemic the democratic rights of the people must also ensured. The current lockdown imposed due to the coronavirus pandemic is set to end on May 11. (PTI)