Sri Lanka to strictly implement election laws during key polls

Sri Lanka's elections commissioner on Saturday said local elections laws will be strictly implemented during parliament elections to be held in August.

Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya said that he will also be writing to all the registered political parties seeking clarity on who will be contesting the Aug. 17 parliament elections.

Deshapriya told reporters that the Department of Elections has been given the minimum number of days to prepare for the elections.

President Maithripala Sirisena on Friday night dissolved the parliament and declared elections to be held in August, 10 months ahead of schedule.

Deshapriya said his department will prepare for the election within the time it has in hand and ensure everything is in place by election day.

He said that over the next week the department will communicate with the political parties which will contest the polls.

The Elections Commissioner said that there are 64 registered political parties in Sri Lanka.

The Elections Commissioner said that political parties and candidates contesting the polls will be asked not to use the national flag or religious flags when campaigning.

He also said that the campaign office of one political party contesting the election cannot be used to promote another political party also contesting the election.

The use of loud speakers will also be limited to only within the venue of the election related meeting or rally during the campaign period.

He said that strict regulations will also be in place for state media on election coverage while private media will be requested to also fall in line with those regulations. Endi