EC constitutionally empowered to call for Presidential poll in less than three weeks

• Springs into action well in advance  
• Calls for staff, vehicle mobilization   
• Polling stations being inspected, decision on indelible ink pending   

By Kelum Bandara   
The Election Commission which will get constitutional authority to conduct the presidential election independent of any governmental interference in another three weeks time has sprung up into action by issuing a circular to initiate action for staff, vehicle mobilization and polling centre inspections, an official said.   
The Commission will get authority automatically after July 17 to issue the gazette notification calling for the election. Once it is done, it will declare the nomination period which will fall after 16 days of notification and 21 days before. Thereafter, polling day will fall four weeks after and six weeks before.   
However, polling should be taken on a day between September 17 and October 17.   

Commission’s Chairman R. M. A. L. Rathnayake told Daily Mirror that his office issued a circular last Tuesday instructing the district election authorities to call for applications from public servants for election duty. Also, he said instructions were given to inspect the places to be used as polling stations.   
Responding to a query about the use of indelible ink on voters’ finger nails, he said the Commission is yet to decide on the kind of ink to be used and how it should be applied.   
“At the previous general election, we marked finger nails with ink using a piece of cardboard paper. We did it that way because we could not touch fingers due to COVID-19. We can use a pencil this time. Still, we have not decided. Also, we have not decided on a supplier to provide indelible ink,” he said.