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Polls as scheduled even if COVID upsurge hits country
The parliamentary elections will go ahead as scheduled even in the event of another outbreak of COVID-19, by organising special booths for lockdown areas, the Elections Commission has decided in consultation with the health authorities.
The EC’s Commissioner General Saman Shri Ratnayake told the Sunday Times that it was part of its contingency plan of going ahead with the poll, instead of another postponement.
Under the plan, the polling booth could be set up within the lockeddown area or outside the area depending on the situation, but transport would be provided if it was outside the area, he said.
Under the Parliamentary Elections Act, the Commission is empowered to change the polling booth to replace the booths which have already been gazetted.
The Commission also in consultation with the health authorities has decided to have polling booths in quarantine centres to enable those undergoing quarantine to vote.
He said the preparations had been made in a manner so that the EC could go ahead with the twice-postponed elections.
Elections were initially scheduled for April 25 and thereafter postponed for June 20 before the EC this week took a unanimous decision to conduct the election on August 5.
The EC will deploy health teams to inspect all booths the day prior to the poll and during the poll to ensure safety measures.
The poll is to be held in more than12,000 booths while 16.2 million voters will be eligible to vote.