COLOMBO: Sri Lanka's election commission on Sunday expressed satisfaction over election preparations after holding a second mock poll to test the COVID-19 health guidelines for the parliamentary polls to be held on August 5.
The mock polls are being conducted to familiarise both voters and officials on the health guidelines to be followed at polling stations throughout the island.
"The Sri Lankan voter can be rest assured that the 5 August election for a new parliament can be held safely by following the COVID-19 health guidelines," the National Election Commission (NEC) chairman Mahinda Deshapriya said.
He was speaking at a mock poll held in the northwestern region of Puttalam.
"We can hold a safe poll by maintaining distance, washing hands and wearing face masks," Deshapriya said.
Over 16.2 million voters are eligible to vote and over 7450 candidates are in the race for 225 seats.
The parliamentary polls were initially 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 COVID-19 pandemic.
Sri Lanka has so far recorded 1,880 coronavirus cases and 11 deaths due to the disease.