Sri Lanka’s Elections Commission has announced parliamentary elections will be held on August 5, 2020, after at least two delays due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Mahinda Deshapriya, chairman of Sri Lanka’s Elections Commission, said members had reached a unanimous decision on the scheduled date.
A list of thousands of candidates contesting for the 225 candidates across the island has also been released.
See the full list of candidates and parties here.
The announcement comes after Sri Lanka’s opposition party, the Samagi Jana Balavegaya accused the government’s intelligence agencies of collecting data on civilians as part of a surveillance project, which will also see military intelligence officers in every polling station across the island at upcoming parliamentary elections.
Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa had dissolved parliament, with hopes of holding a general election following his triumph in presidential elections last year, with his SLPP party looking to capitalise on gains made amongst its Sinhala nationalist vote base.
