LANKA TO HOLD ADVANCE POLLS FOR PEOPLE IN QUARANTINE

Colombo, July 26: Sri Lanka has set July 31 as the date for advance voting for persons under quarantine, National Elections Commission Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya said on Sunday ahead of the August 5 vote.

Over 16 million voters are registered to vote on August 5 to elect a

225-member parliament for a 5-year term. The election commission has been struggling to make arrangements for a free and fair poll due to the health risks caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The pandemic has forced the election authorities to set an advance polling day for those under quarantine,” Deshapriya said. “Now those under quarantine would be allowed to vote on July

31,” he said. Deshapriya said earlier the commission had agreed with political parties that advance voting would be done on two days — July 31 and August 4. But August 4 was not a feasible date due to election preparations.

Deshapriya said the identities of the voters under home quarantine would not be revealed to the media.

This will be the firstever election in Sri Lanka to have an advance polling date other than the postal voting for persons on election duties.

Sri Lanka has already extended the polling time for the twice-postponed August 5 parliamentary elections by one hour after conducting several mock polls in adherence to the safety guidelines due to the Coronavirus pandemic. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on March 2 dissolved the Parliament, six month.