• No requirement either, EC Chair notes   

The Election Commission (EC) announced that they have not received any notification from President Ranil Wickremesinghe regarding the upcoming Presidential Election, and that no such notification is required for them to proceed with their duties.

Last week, Wickremesinghe had informed the Chief Prelate of the Ramanna Sect, Ven. Makulewe Wimala Thera that he had informed the EC of the need to hold the Presidential Election on the scheduled date.

When contacted by The Daily Morning on 7 July, the EC Chairperson R.M.A.L. Rathnayake said that they have not received any notification from the President regarding the Presidential Election, adding however that there is no need for such a notification. "I also saw his statement in the media, but, we have received nothing. Whether the President says it or not, we will carry out our duties regarding the Presidential Election as per the Constitution," he elaborated.

With the Presidential Election scheduled in a few months, the EC is currently making initial arrangements for the same. They had recently sent a letter to several Government agencies including the Department of Government Printing, the Department of Police, the Ceylon Electricity Board, the National Water Supply and Drainage Board and several others, informing them to prepare for an Election.

It was also reported that the District Deputy and Assistant Election Commissioners have, following directives from the EC, commenced preliminary tasks for the Presidential Election, including conducting censuses on Government officials and vehicles needed for the Election, and gathering information about polling stations.