(COLOMBO) – US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Julie Chung, met with the Chairman of the Election Commission to discuss the forthcoming elections in the island-nation that must be held before October this year.
During the meeting, Ambassador Chung raised concerns regarding the conduct of the elections and sought clarity on several issues in her discussions with Commissioner R.M.A.L. Rathnayake.
Following the discussions, Ambassador Chung shared on X (formerly Twitter) that the dialogue focused on the significance of free and fair elections as a cornerstone of democratic governance. She stressed on the shared commitment to upholding the integrity of the electoral process.
Chairman Rathnayake assured Ambassador Chung that the elections will be conducted in accordance with the constitutional powers vested in the Election Commission. He reiterated the Commission’s dedication to ensuring a transparent and impartial election process.
The meeting also comes a day after the General Secretary of the United National Party (UNP) Palitha Ranga Bandara called for the postponement of the elections for at least two years and a referendum to be held instead until the country’s economic woes could be eased.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe is the current Leader of the UNP and has repeatedly maintained that the elections would be held on schedule.
Both the Presidential and General Elections must be held before the end of this year according to the Constitution.
Bandara’s statement was also slammed by the Left-leaning National People’s Power (NPP) that said the UNP has already conceded defeat even before the elections could be held.
NPP Spokesman MP Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said that the UNP has officially accepted Ranil Wickremesinghe’s defeat.
He told the media that it was a serious statement and that they have no right to violate the sovereignty of the people.
Dr. Jayatissa said this statement should be condemned by all people irrespective of any party politics, and added that it will tarnish the image of the country
“According to the Constitution, a new President should be elected one month before the five-year-term ends. So, a Presidential election must be held this year. We will elect our President and the people can also expect a General Election this year,” he said.
The NPP is fast gaining support among the public particularly among the young voters and analysts predict that it would put up a strong challenge to the other traditional parties that have governed the country since the country gained independence from Britain 72 years ago at any forthcoming elections.
