Issuing a gazette notification President Gotabaya Rajapaksa dissolved the parliament with effect from midnight yesterday (02).
Accordingly, the general elections will be held on April 25.
The gazette notification was issued as soon as the parliament completed four and half years of its five years term. The 19th amendment of the new constitution allows a sitting president to dissolve parliament once it completes four and half years in office.
In a tweet, Speaker Karu Jayasuriya said, “The current Parliament completes 4 ½ years today, and thereby qualifies for dissolution. Despite odds, it has been able to withstand unprecedented pressure and strengthen democracy during its term. Now, it’s important not to regress, but to further strengthen it democracy.”
Nominations will be accepted between March 12 and 19, and President Rajapaksa has also summoned the new Parliament to meet on the 14th, May 2020.
According to the National Commission of Elections 16,263,885 are eligible to vote at this year’s general election.
