EC Chief proposes holding polls on a Saturday

Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya said it would be more preferable to stage the parliamentary polls on a Saturday.

He said that the department was giving serious consideration to the idea and would discuss it with the relevant Government officials.

He said that holding an election on a Saturday would go a long way in assisting government and private sector employees who need to take leave to travel to their hometowns to cast their votes.

Deshapriya added that the current Parliament had time until April next year for its term to end so it could continue until April unless the President dissolved Parliament before that.

The Elections Commissioner also said that he had so far not been informed of an early election but added that his department was ready to conduct the polls at any given time. (Colombo Gazette)