President Ranil Wickremesinghe has given the security leaders of the country permission to draft an emergency plan that combines the use of the military forces and police in case there is any disruption following the impending presidential election and the results announcement. The choice was made in response to concerns expressed by the security council regarding potential crises during the election season.
In his capacity as Commander-in-Chief, the President has directed the security personnel to collaborate closely with the Attorney General in order to investigate legal frameworks regarding the deployment of military forces in conjunction with law enforcement during emergencies, as well as the scope of military authority in such circumstances. Regarding security preparations for the election process, consultations are also being held with the Election Commissioner General.
The heads of the three armed forces and the police will serve as leaders in the development of the emergency plan, which will be overseen by General Shavendra Silva, the Chief of Defense Staff. To finalize specifics, a crucial meeting is scheduled for the 18th, which will be presided over by General Kamal Gunaratne, the Secretary of the Ministry of Defense, and Viyani Gunathilake, the Secretary of the Ministry of Public Security. Top police and military officials will be present with the aim of establishing emergency procedures in advance of election day.
Before the election, a further emergency security council meeting to assess and execute the finalized security measures is anticipated, to be presided over by the President.