By Sandun A. Jayasekera

While the country was grappling with a catastrophic corona viral infection, the tendering of nominations for the April 25th Parliamentary polls concluded at 22 District Secretariats bynoon yesterday, before the Elections Commission (EC) later declared that the election has been postponed.

Chairman of the EC, Mahinda Deshapriya told the media that the final count of nominations, number of candidates, political parties and independent groups with other election related vital information could be gazetted only on Monday (23)    However, he said a large number of Nominations Island wide, tendered by independent groups, had to be rejected yesterday.    A total of 16,263,885 registered voters are eligible to elect 196 members of Parliament on April 25th under the proportional voting system to the 225 member Parliament from among 24,337 candidates representing 60 political parties and 143 independent groups.   

Compared to the 2015 elections, Galle and Matara districts will lose one electorate each, while Badulla and Moneragala districts will be given one seat each.   
This election is being held at a time when the country is gripped with one of the biggest health and economic challenges, consequent to the COVID 19, viral infection.   
Almost all political parties including the SLPP led by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and Samagi Janabalawegaya led by former Leader of the Opposition and Deputy Leader of the UNP, Sajith Premadasa have decided to do the election campaign low key as Sri Lanka is facing one of the most tragic and critical health issues in history.   

Political parties are expected to restrict their election campaigns mainly to house to house visits and to use print and electronic media in a big way. There will be no major political rallies, processions and cut out and poster campaigns.    The Samagi Janabalavegaya leader Sajith Premadasa, the JVP, some social and other political organisations and the public have even urged the government to postpone the election until the threat of CORONA 19 disappears. However, the government is determined not to postpone the election.   
Chairman of the Election Commission Mahinda Deshapriya also says that the EC has no intention to postpone the polls due to the spread of the coronavirus.   

In addition to the health issues, this election is being held at a time while the SLPP, SLFP and the UNP are facing one of the biggest challenges in their political history.    When a big majority of UNP stalwarts, officials and voters rallied round the Samagi Janabalawegaya to contest the election under the leadership of Sajith, the UNP has faced the biggest political threat for its survival in history.    The main constituent partner of the SLPP, the SLFP is not happy over the allocation of candidates for the party in certain districts by the SLPP hierarchy. However, the SLFP will go solo in the districts of Vanni, Jaffna, Nuwara Eliya and Kalutara.   

In the North, it is expected that the newly formed ‘Tamil Makkal Koottani’ (Tamil People’s Front - TMK) led by former Northern Province Chief Minister C. V. Wigneswaran will pose a big challenge to the traditional political power house, the TNA.   

Meanwhile, the Police Department said mass gatherings had been banned by the government, and urged the political parties to refrain from holding political meetings or rallies and any other large scale gathering of voters. The Elections Commission (EC) said if a candidate misuses state properties to promote his or her election campaign, the secretary of the relevant ministry which the state property belongs is responsible for the misuse of the public property and legal action could be taken against the secretary. The Election Commission has appointed an assistant election commissioner to look into allegations of misusing state properties and action against election rules.   

The Voter Registration List of 2019 will be used at the General Election 2020. Election Commission requests the public to report any violations of election laws to the National Elections Complaint Management Centre by telephone at 011-2886179, 011-2886421 and by fax at 011-2886551.