Social activist Oshala Herath has expressed doubts about the legality of the recent gazette notification dissolving Sri Lanka’s Parliament and setting a general election date. Herath claims that the gazette contradicts the provisions of the Parliamentary Elections Act, creating potential grounds for legal challenges that could cancel the gazette and reinstate the dissolved Parliament.
In a social media post, Herath outlined the required timeline under the Parliamentary Elections Act. According to Section 10(1), Parliament was dissolved on September 24, with the election set for November 14. The Act mandates that nominations be called within 10 days of the dissolution, which occurred on October 4, with the deadline for nominations set at October 11.
The law further specifies that the election must take place no less than five weeks and no more than seven weeks after the closing date for nominations. This timeline would make November 15 the earliest valid election date. However, the current schedule sets the election one day earlier, on November 14, which Herath argues is inconsistent with the legal requirements.
Herath suggests this discrepancy could be legally challenged, potentially leading to the cancellation of the gazette and the reconvening of Parliament. He also invited legal experts to provide further clarification on the matter.
