An election official behind a plastic sheet marks the finger of a voter (2L) with ink during a mock election to test the guidelines implemented against the COVID-19 coronavirus in Ingiriya of Kalutara District in Western Province on June 14, 2020 AFPThe election commission said on Wednesday the vote would be held on August 5Sri Lanka staged a mock election on Sunday to test measures aimed at preventing the spread of the coronavirus during a parliamentary vote in August. The election commission said on Wednesday the vote would be held on August 5. The island nation of 21 million people has steadily lifted its lockdown restrictions, although a night curfew remains. "Officials and polling agents will be behind clear plastic screens or wear face shields. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who won a landslide at November's presidential polls, has been hoping the parliamentary vote would secure his party a two-thirds majority and give him sweeping powers to govern the nation.

Source: Dhaka Tribune June 14, 2020 13:30 UTC