Sri Lanka’s poll date challenged at Supreme Court
Sri Lanka’s parliamentary poll date of June 20 has been challenged at the Supreme Court, with four recently-filed petitions questioning its timing amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Sri Lanka’s parliamentary poll date of June 20 has been challenged at the Supreme Court, with four recently-filed petitions questioning its timing amid the coronavirus pandemic.
In separate petitions, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB or United People’s Front), the opposition party led by former Leader of Opposition Sajith Premadasa, senior journalist Victor Ivan, the Colombo-based NGO Centre for Policy Alternatives, and Attorney-at-Law Charitha Gunarathne have contested the Election Commission’s decision to hold polls on June 20 — it has said the date is subject to review — arguing that the environment was not conducive to hold a free and fair election.
Further, they emphasise the need to reconvene Parliament in the face of a national crisis, citing the potential need for new legislation and legislative oversight of the executive.