New voting program for quarantined people: NEC Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya

COLOMBO (News 1st): The National Elections Commission is in the process of implementing a new program to facilitate the voting process of those who are quarantined at quarantine centres, the Election Commissioner said on Monday. According to Chairman of the National Elections Commission, Mahinda Deshapriya those under self-quarantine can cast their vote from 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm on the day of the parliamentary election. "Currently there are no legal provisions in Sri Lanka, facilitating the voting process of in-house patients and inmates at prison complexes," the Elections Commissioner noted. However, Deshapriya emphasized a new program will be launched to allow the people who are undergoing quarantine to cast their vote at the 2020 Parliamentary Election. The 2020 Parliamentary Election will be held on the 05th of August. "A request will be made to conduct PCR tests on officers engaged in election duty, so the general public could cast their vote without any fear," Mahinda Deshapriya emphasized, adding that the election should go ahead under the new normal conditions of COVID-19.