by Saman Indrajith Courtesy The Island

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, yesterday, said the general election would be held on 25 April, as scheduled. He said so, participating in a video conference of SAARC leaders on Sunday evening. Pakistan was represented by the Health Minister of that country.

The SAARC leaders’ video conference was aimed at chalking out a strategy to combat coronavirus spreading in the region.

President Rajapaksa informed the SAARC leaders of the steps Sri Lanka had taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Prime Minister Modi said that though the number of COVID-19 patients reported from the region was not comparatively high, the situation had to be taken seriously and everything possible done to contain the pandemic, which, yesterday, caused Spain to effect a nationwide lockdown.

President Rajapaksa’s assurance that the general election won’t be postponed has come amidst speculation that the increasing number of COVID-19 patients being detected in the country and the suspension of political rallies and other such mass gatherings may affect the scheduled polls.