The Election Commission (EC) has instructed the relevant stakeholders to maintain public transport services as usual in the context of the Presidential Election to be held on 21 September.
Speaking to The Daily Morning, EC Chairperson R.M.A.L. Rathnayake said that the EC has already instructed the relevant stakeholders to maintain transport services without any hindrance. "We definitely look into the arrangement of transport facilities for the people. We have provided the necessary instructions to the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) and the associations of private bus owners." They agreed to operate buses as usual." He further said that a substantial number of buses will be used to transport Election officers to the relevant locations, adding that there will be about 250,000 officers on Election duty.
"We requested the SLTB to allocate some buses to transport officers. Those buses will transport officers, and will then be deployed as usual to transport passengers."
The Presidential Election to elect the ninth President of Sri Lanka is scheduled for 21 September. The EC, in coordination with the relevant stakeholders, is taking necessary steps to ensure a smooth process in the Presidential Election. As the date approaches, attention is now focused on various aspects, including the security and transport arrangements for the Election day, the counting of votes, and other related procedures.
The SLTB announced plans to introduce a special bus service to facilitate public travel to their villages for the upcoming Presidential Election. SLTB Chairperson Lalith de Alwis confirmed that additional buses will be deployed from tomorrow (19) to assist voters travelling to their hometowns. When contacted by The Daily Morning yesterday (17), de Alwis explained that the SLTB is committed to ensuring that voters can reach their polling stations without difficulty. He noted that these special arrangements are part of the SLTB's ongoing efforts to support Electoral processes. “We will operate these special bus services throughout the Election period, until 23 September, to accommodate voters returning to their workplaces,” de Alwis said. de Alwis assured that normal bus services will continue uninterrupted during the Election days.
He emphasised that the SLTB plans to keep regular services running smoothly while providing additional support for Election-related travel. Regarding the specifics of the additional services, de Alwis mentioned that the precise details, including the number of extra buses to be deployed, will be released following consultations with the relevant authorities. He stated that the SLTB aims to finalise these arrangements in the coming days to ensure that all logistical aspects are addressed.