Sri Lanka presidential poll advanced to January

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka would hold a snap presidential election in January, nearly two years ahead of schedule that could send the incumbent Mahinda Rajapaksa into office for a record third term.

"The election will be held in January. I am aware of the date but can't announce as it is not yet confirmed," Keheliya Rambukwella, the government spokesman and the Minister of Information said while addressing a gathering at Kundasale in the central district of Kandy today.

This is the first public statement on the possible dates for the election.

Rajapaksa has already declared his intention to contest the election despite legal objections raised by former chief justice Sarath Silva.

Silva has argued that Rajapaksa will not be eligible to contest as he has already been elected twice.

Rajapaksa lifted the constitutional bar for an incumbent to contest a third term by introducing the 18th amendment to the Constitution.

The opposition has claimed that Rajapaksa's plan to hold the election ahead of schedule is solely because of astrological advice.

Speaking during a ceremony to commence development projects in the Kundasale Electorate in Kandy, Rambukwella called on every person in the country to set aside their differences and work for Rajapaksa's victory in the election.

Local media reports speculate the polls could be held between January 8 and 10, ahead of Pope Francis' visit scheduled from January 13-15.

Rajapaksa, 68, came to power in 2005 and retained the presidency in 2010 on a wave of popularity after the Tamil Tigers were defeated in 2009, ending a nearly three-decade war.

The 2009 victory over the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam ( LTTE) helped Rajapaksa secure more than two-thirds of parliamentary seats, enabling him to amend the Constitution that had capped the presidency for a leader to two terms.

Rajapaksa's current term ends in November 2016, but according to the Sri Lankan Constitution, he can call for an early election after November 19 this year.

Rambukwella said Rajapaska's win would protect the hard-fought peace and development of the country.

He said the budget proposal for 2015 would be presented to the Parliament on October 24.

The government move to bring the budget forward is likely to give Rajapaksa more time to campaign.