Commonwealth to monitor Sri Lanka polls

COLOMBO: The Commonwealth will monitor Sri Lanka's August 17 parliamentary election to ensure free and fair polling.

A team of Commonwealth observers led by the former president of Malta, George Abela, have already arrived in the island.

The Commonwealth Observer Group was constituted by Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma following an invitation from the Office of the Commissioner of Elections of Sri Lanka.

In a statement, the Secretary-General said "I am delighted that the Commonwealth, which has a strong history of supporting Sri Lanka during its elections, has been invited to observe the parliamentary elections on 17 August".

The Commonwealth Observer Group's mandate is to observe and consider the various factors affecting the credibility of the electoral process as a whole.

The group will determine in its own judgement whether the elections have been conducted according to the standards to which Sri Lanka has committed itself, with reference to national legislation and relevant regional, Commonwealth and international commitments.

The group will submit its report to the Commonwealth Secretary-General, who will send it to the government of Sri Lanka, the Office of the Commissioner of Elections, political parties, and to all Commonwealth governments.

Thereafter it will be published on the Commonwealth's website.

A European Union polls observer team has also arrived to monitor the election along with the local observer groups.

The August 17 election is aimed at appointing a 225-member parliament for a five-year term.