TNA requests NEC to refrain from deciding poll date

COLOMBO (News1st): The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has requested the election commission to refrain from deciding on a date for the election, amidst calls by the government to announce the date. "There can be no effective exercise of democracy in the form of an election in the midst of a pandemic," the TNA said in a letter to the national election commission (NEC). The NEC is yet to respond officially to the President and the Prime Minister who have repeatedly called on the election body to announce the date of the poll. "Any such date must be only fixed following the assurance by local and global health experts that it is safe to do so," the political party insisted. The government has announced that it would be relaxing curfew and other restrictions in place due to the coronavirus, drawing stiff opposition from critics. "...fixing a date for an election at this time will seriously endanger not only the health and safety of Sri Lanka's citizens," the TNA's letter read. It added that the current priority must be given to the health and security of the public. The NEC is expected to convene a meeting tomorrow to discuss matters concerning the election.