President tells SAARC leaders April election will go ahead

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa informed South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) leaders today that the Parliamentary election in April will go ahead as scheduled.

He said this while briefing SAARC?leaders on the efforts taken by Sri Lanka to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

Rajapaksa and leaders and representatives from SAARC nations, including India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in a video conference meet to chalk out strategy to fight coronavirus.

“The elections will be held as planned,” Rajapaksa said.

Rajapaksa said that large gatherings related to the election have, however, been discouraged over the next few weeks.

He also said that sporting events, other gatherings and public meetings have also been cancelled.

The President said that the economy in Sri Lanka has taken a severe blow as a result of the virus.

He called on SAARC leaders to formulate a mechanism for the economies to tide over problems posed by the coronavirus.

The President also proposed the setting up of a SAARC ministerial-level group to deal with issues related to the virus. (Colombo Gazette)