SL presidential election dates to be announced next week

[TamilNet, Friday, 26 August 2005, 16:30 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Election Commissioner Mr.Dayananda Dissanayake Friday resumed discussions with his officials to prepare for the next presidential election, which is to be held before the end of this year according to the ruling of the Supreme Court delivered Friday morning. The Commissioner of Elections is expected to announce the dates of nomination and the polling before the end of August, commission sources said.

Nomination date will be fixed between September 17 and October 25 and polling day between October 22 and November 22, election department sources said.

District election officers have been informed to take all preliminary steps to locate polling stations in their areas, sources said.

Meanwhile Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe, UNP presidential candidate Friday said the Supreme Court ruling was a victory for the people.

The UNP launched its People Power Campaign demanding the holding of the presidential election this year at a time when the President and her government had been arguing that the next presidential election would be held only in they year 2006.

The SC held with the UNP that the second term of presidency of Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge expires at the end of 2005, sources said.