Elections Commissioner on holiday

The President’s attention has been focused on the appointment of an Elections Commissioner before August even without the re-constitution of the Constitutional Council.

Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake and the President have already exchanged ideas on the matter and the Commissioner is currently on a long overseas vacation with the intention of retiring from his post as soon as the necessary arrangements were put in place.

A senior official at the Elections Commissioner’s Office said the Elections Commissioner had left for England on May 9 on a four month vacation 

  and is expected back in the country to hand over his duties to the Elections Commission or any other commission appointed by the President according to his discretion.

The official further noted that since an acting Elections Commissioner cannot be appointed according to the Constitution, scheduled elections like the Northern Provincial council election and local government elections could not be held until another Elections Commissioner or an Elections Commission is appointed.