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Sri Lanka to invite foreign observers for crucial August elections

Xinhua, June 27, 2015 Adjust font size:

Sri Lanka is to invite foreign observers for the crucial parliamentary elections due to take place on August 17, local election monitors said on Saturday.

The People's Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) said they are going to invite at least 50 foreign observers to monitor the elections which will produce a new Sri Lankan parliament.

"The upcoming elections will be competitive as we will be seeing some major political parties contesting. With foreign observers, there will be a certain level of control on election day," Executive Director of PAFFREL Rohana Hettiarachchi told Xinhua.

Election observers from the Asian Network for Free Elections in Thailand and observers from the European Union and Commonwealth will be invited to monitor the August polls, Hettiarachchi said.

Well informed sources told Xinhua that discussions are also likely to be held with the National Democratic Institute and other U.S. organizations to invite U.S. observers.

During presidential elections held in the island nation in January, both local monitors and the Department of Election invited foreign monitors including those from the Commonwealth and the European Union to observe the elections.

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena dissolved parliament on Friday, months after taking office in January this year.

Political parties including the ruling United National Party ( UNP) have been calling on Sirisena in the recent weeks to dissolve parliament, stating that the government's 100-day mandate which began on Jan. 8 has expired.

The dissolving of parliament ended the term of the national government which was appointed by Sirisena in March this year. Endi