Sri Lanka to hold parliamentary elections on June 20

Colombo, April 21: Chairman of the National Election Commission Mahinda Deshapriya has announced that the parliamentary elections in Sri Lanka that were postponed due to the coronavirus spread will be held on June 20.

The decision to hold the elections in June was reached during a special meeting held on Monday at the Election Commission premises between the Election Chief Mahinda Deshapriya, members of the Election Commission and the responsible parties, Colombo Page reported. Senior health officials, security authorities, senior officials of postal, and government printing, district secretaries and other stakeholders also participated in the meeting today.

The election was earlier scheduled for April 25 when the government had to impose an island-wide curfew and halt all state functions except essential services to control the spread of the coronavirus.

Sri Lanka has so far reported 295 COVID-19 cases, including seven deaths, and 96 recoveries, since the first viral infection was reported in the country on March 11.

Over 3,500 people, including foreigners, remain quarantined in more than 40 centres across the country following the coronavirus outbreak. (ANI)