PAFFREL also calls for postponement of Parliamentary Poll

The People's Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) has written to Election Commission Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya urging the EC to take a decision to postpone the upcoming parliamentary election. 

In his letter to the EC Chairman, PAFFREL Executive Director Rohana Hettiarachchi states that the sole aim of leaders of both the Government and the Opposition should be to focus on eradicating this threat. It further points out that an election is an exercise where members of the public congregate in groups and also notes that it involves the services of many Government officers from District Secretaries to Grama Niladharis. By having to be involved in election work, these officers are being drawn away from having to work on measures to prevent the virus from spreading further. 

"The longer we delay making this decision, the closer we approach a point from which we would not be able to turn back the danger," the letter warned. 

In the event that elections are postponed after nominations are accepted, some candidates, knowing that their nominations are assured, may continue to engage in election campaigning without taking due regard to the national crisis that has arisen, the election monitor points out, requesting the EC to take adequate measures to prevent that.