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General elections in late April or early May, polls chief tells President
View(s):National Elections Commission Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya has told President Gotabaya Rajapaksa that parliamentary elections could be held either in late April or early May.
He is learnt to have conveyed this in a letter. This was after President Rajapaksa had a meeting with Mr Deshapriya days before he visited India.
Among the dates suggested, the Sunday Times learns, are April 25, May 9 and 16. May 2 has been left out since it is just the day after May Day and would hinder arrangements being made.
In terms of the Constitution, a dissolution of Parliament by the President is possible after March 2. The 19th Amendment to the Constitution prevented the President from dissolving Parliament prior to a minimum four and a half years term unless two-thirds of the House voted for its early dissolution, the Prime Minister resigned, or a no-confidence motion on the Government was passed.
From March 2, 55 days would have to be allowed for the conduct of a general election.
Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has agreed to put the issue of the post to the UNP parliamentary group tomorrow (Monday) after talks with party deputy leader Sajith Premadasa and Speaker Karu Jayasuriya on Friday. He has indicated he is willing to step down from the post if the party can come up with a succession plan.