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Covid-19 and Elections: ANFREL and Sri Lankan election organisations release a Code of Conduct for election observers

ANFREL and six domestic election observation groups, including ANFREL members PAFFREL and CMEV, released the “COVID-19 Code of Conduct for Election Observers” ahead of the 2020 Sri Lankan parliamentary elections. This document is a joint initiative from organizations both domestic and international intending to observe the parliamentary elections of Sri Lanka. The polls were initially […]

CPA Statement on the Election Commission’s announcement setting the 20 June 2020 as the date on which parliamentary elections will be held

22nd April 2020, Colombo, Sri Lanka: The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) notes the Election Commission’s announcement that parliamentary elections will be held on 20 June 2020. This announcement comes during a period in which the number of persons who have tested positive for Covid -19 continue to increase and the “curfew” and quarantine measures imposed […]

Curfew in response to COVID-19: Legal Framework and Relevant Questions in Sri Lanka

Curfews, which are generally understood to be a government regulation requiring people to remain indoors during specified hours, are a means of restricting the fundamental freedom of free movement, in view of a greater public aim such as ensuring public health, national security, public safety and such purposes. Whilst such restrictions are permissible, they must […]

Parliamentary Election 2020 – Joint Announcement of Election Monitoring Organizations

All active election observation missions in Sri Lanka, including CMEV, have issued a joint statement urging all relevant authorities to resolve their issues regarding a new election date with the mutual understanding of not creating a constitutional crisis against the backdrop of COVID19. The joint statement points out that: It is undesirable to head into […]

Regarding Notice Issued by the Police Media Division

7 April 2020 C.D. Wickremaratne Acting Inspector General of Police Police Headquarters Colombo 1. CC: Kamal Gunaratne, Secretary, Ministry of Defence Chairperson, National Police Commission Chairperson, Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka Re: Notice Issued by the Police Media Division On 1 April 2020 the Media Division of the Sri Lanka Police, upon the instructions […]

Disposal of bodies of deceased persons who were infected with and suspected of being infected with COVID-19

4th April 2020 H.E. Gotabaya Rajapaksa, President of the Democratic, Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka CC:
Hon. Pavithra Waniarachchi, Minister of Health Dr. Anil Jasinghe, Director General Health Services Dr. Sudath Samaraweera, Chief Epidemiologist, Epidemiology Unit Dr. Hasitha Attanayake, Director, Infectious Diseases Hospital Dr. Ajith Tennakoon, Chief Judicial Medical Officer Dr. Deepika Udagama, Chairperson, Human Rights […]

CPA Statement on the Election Commission’s Request for a Special Reference by the President to the Supreme Court on the Law Relating to Parliamentary Elections

3rd April 2020, Colombo, Sri Lanka: The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) notes several news reports on the Election Commission’s concerns that it will be unable to hold parliamentary elections within the time-period stipulated by law due to the Covid-19 crisis. The Commission has accordingly requested the President to seek the opinion of the Supreme […]