There are no plans in place or preparations being made to impose a curfew in the context of next week’s Presidential Poll, The Daily Morning learnt.
“We will not have a curfew unless the President (who is also the Defence Minister) requires it,” the Secretary of the Ministry of Public Security, Viyani Gunathilaka told The Daily Morning yesterday (12) in response to a query on whether a curfew would be called in the said context. “The President has the power to call a curfew; however, as of now, there are no plans and preparations to organise a curfew.”
When contacted by The Daily Morning on any plans and preparations regarding a curfew in the said context, Police Media Spokesperson, Deputy Inspector General of Police Nihal Thalduwa declined to comment but confirmed that the power to impose a curfew lies with the Executive President. “If the President wishes, there can be a curfew,” Thalduwa said.
A curfew is generally understood to be a Government regulation requiring people to remain indoors during a certain period. In Sri Lanka, the power to impose a curfew is bestowed upon the Executive President and the Police.
Notably, a curfew period was imposed by former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa when protests took place near his residence, where people were banned from being on any public road, parks, and trains or on the seashore unless they had written permission from the relevant authorities.
The Presidential Election is to take place on 21 September with 38 candidates in the fray, including President and independent candidate Ranil Wickremesinghe. It is reported that the country has 17.1 million people eligible to cast their vote in the upcoming Election with one million of them being first time voters.