COLOMBO: Minister of Health Pavitra Wanniarachchi said on Thursday that health guidelines pertaining to the General Elections would be Gazetted within the next two days after receiving the necessary advice from the Attorney General and the Legal Draftsman.
Speaking at a discussion with Newspaper Editors and Media Heads chaired by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees on Thursday , Minister Wanniarachchi said that the health guidelines pertaining to the elections as recommended by the Director General of Health would be Gazetted as soon as it is cleared by the Attorney General.
Earlier Elections Commission Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya urged the government authorities to Gazette the Health Guidelines urgently to ensure that a safe election process takes place amidst concern over the spread of the Corona virus.
Minister Wanniarachchi said the President’s Secretary had written to the Secretary to the Health Ministry to take urgent steps to formalize the health guidelines for the elections as requested by the Elections Commission. The Minister said that accordingly it would be done within the next two days.
The Minister of Health confirmed that the required recommendations were given to the Attorney General, adding that as soon as the Attorney General receives the applicable recommendations, the guidelines for health will be gazetted today or tomorrow.
Whereas Minister Wanniarachchi said that if the authorisation is issued by the health authorities, election rallies will resume.