2020 Postal voting begins: NEC

COLOMBO (News 1st): Postal voting of the 2020 Parliamentary Election began on Monday (July 13). "Medical Officers of Health, Public Health Inspectors, Midwives and other officers at Medical Offices of Health will cast their postal votes today," Mahinda Deshapriya - the Chairman of the National Elections Commission said on Monday (July 13). However, according to the National Elections Commission, postal voting for the Rajanganaya Divisional Secretariat has been postponed, given the rise of COVID-19 cases in that area. Elections Commissioner - Mahinda Deshapriya said, "On the 14th and 15th of July, postal voting of government offices, including officers at the divisional secretariats, education offices, agriculture offices, teachers and other respective officers, will be conducted." On 16th and 17th, postal voting will take place at Police stations, Army, Air-Force and Navy camps. "The NEC will hold discussions on assigning election monitors for military camps where officers are engaged in quarantine duties," the Election Commissioner further noted. Meanwhile, according to Rohana Hettiarachchi - the Director of People's Action for Free & Fair Elections (PAFFREL), close to 1,000 election monitors will be assigned to monitor the postal voting proceedings of the general election. The 2020 Parliamentary Election will be held on the 5th of August.