SL will continue in its tradition of conducting a credible poll: Sharma

Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma yesterday said that he expected Sri Lanka would conduct a credible poll and vote-counting and would continue to follow election laws during and even after the election. “It is my hope and expectation that Sri Lanka will continue

in its tradition of conducting a credible poll and vote-counting and that the Election Day and the post-election period will be marked by adherence to the country’s election laws,” he said. In a statement issued in view with sending a team of Commonwealth observers to Sri Lanka for Parliamentary Elections scheduled for August 17, Mr. Sharma said he was delighted that the Commonwealth, which has a strong history of supporting Sri Lanka

SL will continue in its tradition of conducting a credible poll and vote-counting and that the Election Day and the post-election period will be marked by adherence to the country’s e lection laws

during elections, has been invited to observe the parliamentary elections.

The Commonwealth observer group led by former President of Malta, Dr. George Abela, was constituted by Secretary General Sharma following an invitation from the Elections Commissioner.

The observer group is impartial and independent and will conduct itself according to the standards of the International Declaration of Principles for Elections Observation, to which the Commonwealth is a signatory. The group will submit its report to the Commonwealth Secretary General, who will send it to the Sri Lankan Government, the Elections Commissioner, political parties, and to all Commonwealth governments. Thereafter it will be published on the Commonwealth’s website.

A staff support team of five persons from the Commonwealth Secretariat led by Mr. Martin Kasirye, Head of the Secretariat’s Electoral Support Section, will support the nine member observer group.