Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa Says Elections Commission Has NO Power To Postpone Parliamentary Election Without Fixing A New Date

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa said Elections Commission is required to fix another day for the Parliamentary election.

Citing Section 24(3) of the Parliamentary Elections Act No. 1 of 1981, the Prime Minister indicated that the Elections Commission had no authority to postpone the Parliamentary election indefinitely.

"They have no power to postpone the poll without fixing another date," Rajapaksa said in his statement.

"Such mandatory legal requirements cannot be ignored on the basis of speculation as to what may or may not happen in the weeks and months into the future. The EC should first fulfil its duties under Section 24(3) and thereafter take up for discussion any outstanding issues," the statement added.

Rajapaksa also said the measures adopted by the government to control the spread of COVID19 in Sri Lanka were successful.