- Govt. Printer confirms paper availability
- Election workforce prepared for polls
The Election Commission (EC) is set to officially declare the date for this year’s Presidential Election in August, as confirmed by EC Chairman R.M.A.L. Rathnayake.
Speaking to The Sunday Morning, he said that the forthcoming Presidential Election was scheduled to take place between 16 September and 17 October and that the specific date for the election would be officially announced in early August.
Rathnayake said that the selection of the election date would strictly follow the procedures outlined in both the Constitution and the Presidential Elections Act.
“We will adhere to the prescribed procedures,” he said.
Accordingly, Section 2 of the Presidential Elections Act No.15 of 1981 states: “(1) Where the Commissioner of Elections (hereinafter referred to as the ‘Commissioner’), is required by the Constitution to conduct the election of the President, he shall by Order published in the gazette
(a) fix the date of nomination of candidates being a date not less than 16 days and not more than one month from the date of publication of such Order and the place of nomination; and (b) fix the date on which the poll shall be taken, being a date not less than one month and not more than two months from the date of nomination.
“(2) The date fixed under paragraph (a) or paragraph (b) of subsection (1) shall be any day other than a Full Moon Poya day or any public holiday specified in the First Schedule to the Holidays Act No.29 of 1971; and if, after the publication of the Order under subsection (1), any day specified therein is declared to be a public holiday, such declaration shall in no way affect the validity of anything done on such day for the purposes of that subsection.”
Further, Chapter VII Article 31(3) of the Constitution states: “The poll for the election of the president shall be taken not less than one month and not more than two months before the expiration of the term of office of the president in office.”
The EC Chairman said that essential measures had already been initiated to prepare for the upcoming Presidential Election, including the formation of the electoral registry, with all necessary measures having been undertaken by the commission to prepare themselves for the impending election.
“The Government Printer has confirmed the availability of papers for printing purposes and we have been allocated Rs. 10 billion for election expenses. The funds will be released accordingly, with the commission spending money initially and then seeking reimbursement from the Treasury.
“Furthermore, we have already assembled a pool of Government employees willing to undertake election duties, from which the necessary workforce will be selected. The security aspect of the election process will be managed by the Police,” he added.
Meanwhile, President Ranil Wickremesinghe reiterated that the Presidential Election would be held this year despite attempts by the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) to promote the holding of the General Election first.