Election commission asked to submit a report on the date announced for the General Election

COLOMBO (News 1st): The Attorney General's Department has informed the Election Commission to provide an observation report regarding the date that was gazetted for the General election.

The Attorney General's Department said that submissions will be made to the Supreme Court on the 4th November, based on this observation report.

A fundamental rights petition was filed at the Supreme Court on the 21st of October, seeking a determination that the decision to hold the General Election on the 14th of November is a violation of the Constitution.

The Fundamental Rights petition was filed by Priyantha Herath. a civil activist as well as the convener of the "Api Sri Lanka National Organization."

The petitioner claims that the decision calling for nominations for the general election and the announcement of the date of the election were done in violation of the provisions of the Parliamentary Elections Act.

It was pointed out that according to Section 10 of the Parliamentary Elections Act, the dates calling for nominations were set from the 4th of October to the 11th of October. 

According to the Parliamentary Elections Act, the dates on which the election is held must be fixed within a period of not less than five weeks and not more than seven weeks from the date following the last date on which nominations are accepted. 

The petition states that the five-week period from the 11th October, when the acceptance of nominations was completed, will end on 15th of November, and the seven-week period will end on the the 29th November.

Pointing out that the correct time period during which the election must be held is from the 15th of November to the 29th of November, the petitioner points out that the gazette notification published by the President is completely against the law and it is a violation of the rule of law.