By: Isuru Parakrama
November 10, Colombo (LNW): As the midnight deadline approaches tomorrow (11), all campaigning activities for Sri Lanka’s upcoming parliamentary elections, set for Thursday (14), will officially conclude.
However, the Election Commission has extended the deadline for candidates to dismantle their campaign offices, giving them until midnight on November 12 to clear these temporary setups.
Ahead of election day, the Election Commission has already registered 2,348 complaints linked to the ongoing campaign period.
To address these concerns and ensure transparency, a significant meeting has been arranged for November 12 in Colombo between the Commission and representatives from international election monitoring bodies.
Representatives from Asian election commissions are expected to arrive on the island tomorrow to assist in monitoring efforts, joining international observers already in place from organisations including the European Organisation.
Additional monitors are expected to arrive shortly to strengthen oversight.
Adding to the local oversight, the People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) has confirmed that nearly 6,000 representatives from their organisation will be deployed to oversee polling stations and monitor for irregularities, according to PAFFREL’s Executive Director, Rohana Hettiarachchi.
This substantial collaboration between domestic and international observers underscores a concerted effort to uphold the integrity of Sri Lanka’s electoral process amidst an atmosphere of close scrutiny and high public interest.
