Despite Covid-19, Can Sri Lanka Conduct Safe Elections Like South Korea?

The commission opined that a new date in May was not possible amidst the prevailing health situation. The attempt to promote the case for conducting polls in Sri Lanka in a pandemic situation by drawing a parallel with South Korea, was strongly condemned by the JVP

- D. B. S. Jeyaraj

Sri Lanka’s Election Commission, comprising former Commissioner of Elections Mahinda Deshapriya, retired Legal Draftsman Nalin Abeyesekera PC and Ex-Jaffna University vice-chancellor Dr. Ratnajeevan Hoole, is scheduled to have an important conclave on Monday, April 20. The three wise men of the election commission will take up for discussion, the crucial question whether elections could be held to Sri Lanka’s parliament while the country is struggling to cope with and contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

The elections that were due to take place on April 25 were postponed indefinitely due to the prevailing COVID-19 threat by the Election commission on March 19. No new election date was given because of the prevailing pandemic. Earlier the new Parliament was to meet on May 14. Since Parliament was dissolved on March 2 was required to re-convene within three months on or before June 2, it became necessary for a new date to be fixed in the second half of May. The commission opined that a new date in May was not possible amidst the prevailing health situation and requested President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to refer the matter to the Supreme court.

However, the recent correspondence publicised in the media - between the Election commission and the secretary to the president Dr.P. B. Jayasundara indicated that the key decision regarding elections would be the election commission’s responsibility. The President would not seek the opinion of courts. It also became clear that he would not rescind the gazette proclamation he made on March 2 and re-convene the dissolved parliament thereby negating the need for new elections. In short, the “holding elections decision” ball was in the election commission’s court.