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Kumaratunga hurries Sri Lanka into election

The presidential election in Sri Lanka will be held late December, almost a year before the scheduled term, following a proclamation from President Chandrika Kumaratunga Wednesday.

The exact date will be known only when the Election Commission makes a formal announcement.

Although there was speculation about advancing the election (Kumaratunga's current term comes to an end in November 2000), Wednesday's announcement was unexpected.

In her proclamation the president said, ''I hereby declare my intention of appealing to the people for a mandate to hold office, by election for a further term."

The Election Commission is expected to call for nominations shortly. According to the election rules, nominations should be completed within three weeks. Six weeks thereafter, the election has to be held. By all counts, the process should end before December 22.

With her proclamation, Kumaratunga has opted for holding the presidential election before the parliamentary poll.

Last time, Kumaratunga had made it to her chair with a 62 per cent mandate for a six-year term.

UNI

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