Act according to the law: AG tells Election Commission

The Attorney General (AG) informed the Election Commission to ‘act according to the law’ as a response after the Commission sought an opinion on the implications of the Government declaring special public holidays during the Parliamentary elections nomination period  which ended on March 19, a senior official from the Cmmission confirmed to the Times Online today.

Last week Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya told a meeting of political party representatives yesterday that the EC was awaiting a response from the AG’s Department.

This was after a political party representative raised an issue about the declaration of holidays and whether it would apply to the validity of the nominations which have been accepted during public holidays.

Public Administration Minister Janka Bandara Tennakoon in a special gazette notification had declared three days – March 17, 18 and 19 — as special public holidays to prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

The Parliamentary election Act of 1981 says “… the period (hereinafter referred to as the “nomination period”) during which nomination papers shall be received by the returning officer during normal office hours at his office; …”