Postal voting for over 700,00 Sri Lankan officials begins amid new COVID-19 threat

postal voting for over 700,000 Sri Lankan officers, who will be on duty on August 5 for parliamentary polls, began on Monday amidst special security measures, following a sudden spike in COVID-19 cases in country.

voting will go on for 5 days with two days reserved next week for those who fail to cast ir vote this week. Over 700,000 officers who will be on election duty on August 5 are eligible to cast ir vote.

election authorities said voting in rth central town of Rajanganaya was indefinitely postponed due to a COVID-19 threat. According to health officials, a cluster has been forming in area since last week with infections from a drug rehabilitation center at Kandaku in Polonnaruwa district.

Nearly 500 new infection, including 70 students, were detected from Kandaku cluster. Around 600 close contacts of those who tested positive have been sent for quarantine.

" cluster can be controlled," Dr Anil Jasinghe, director general of health services, said, ding that public h lowered guard against COVID-19 as country was being re-opened after lockdown.

In mid-June, countrywide curfew was completely lifted and focus was soon shifted to August 5 parliamentary election.

With growing threat from new cluster, government shut schools this week, while main election rallies have been cancelled. schools were only opened last week after lockdown.

All election rallies of Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa have been cancelled temporarily, Sri Lanka People's Party (SLPP) anunced on Sunday, following a surge in coronavirus cases.

country has so far reported 2,511 COVID-19 cases and 11 deaths.

Although Elections Commission has said that election will t be postponed again, a meeting to be held this week will assess new COVID-19 threat.

election originally scheduled for April 25 was postponed twice becayse of COVID-19 pandemic.

pandemic threat has brought in severe health guidelines on campaigning. counting of votes, which usually happens on same night of polls date, has w been put off to next day.

re are over 16 million eligible voters in country. August 5 poll will elect a 225-member Parliament for a five-year term.