General Election: EC wants health guidelines to be gazetted soon

Chairman of the National Election Commission Mahinda Deshapriya said that the health guidelines issued for the conducting of the upcoming parliamentary elections not being properly promulgated had become the biggest issue facing the commission at the moment. 

He said the health guidelines for the general election were issued by Director General of Health Services on June 3 but they had not yet been gazetted.

“The President himself has given necessary instructions for that. The Attorney General has also endorsed the guidelines to be gazetted,” the Chairman said. 

”However, there is a delay somewhere in the system,” he added.

“What is tragic here is that when the guidelines are not properly enforced, people who participate in election rallies tend to ignore the health practices,” the Chairman emphasised. 

 Hence, the Commission insisted that the Government issue a Gazette notification citing the health guidelines. (Sheain Fernandopulle)