Sri Lanka conducts mock poll

Colombo, June 7

Sri Lanka’s election commission held a mock poll in the southern Galle district to test the Covid-19 health guidelines and its preparedness for the parliamentary poll likely to be held between late July and mid-August.

The parliamentary poll was to be held on April 25, but had to be postponed due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, which prompted the authorities to announce a nationwide lockdown from March 20.

Later, the election commission shifted the date to June 20. It was again deemed not suitable in view of the raging pandemic, which has claimed 11 lives and infected over 1,900 people in the island nation. A majority of the patients have been cured and discharged from hospitals.

Some 200 voters from the Ambalangoda polling division in Galle district were chosen to ‘vote’ at the mock poll, according to an official. — PTI