The gazette notification dated March 2, 2020 said,

“KNOW YE that by virtue of the powers vested in me by Article 70 of the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka to be read with Sub-paragraph (c) of Paragraph (2) of Article 33 of the Constitution of theDemocratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and in pursuance of the Provisions of Section 10 of the Parliamentary Elections Act, No. 1 of 1981, I, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, doby this Proclamation

-(a) Dissolve Parliament, with effect from midnight today and summon the new Parliament to meet on the Fourteenth day of May, Two Thousand and Twenty ;

(b) Fix Twenty Fifth day of April, Two Thousand and Twenty as the date for the election of Members ofParliament ;

(c) Specify the period beginning on the Twelfth day of March, Two Thousand and Twenty and ending at TwelveNoon of the Nineteenth day of March, Two Thousand and Twenty as the nomination period, during whichnomination papers shall be received by the Returning Officers ; and

(d) Specify each place mentioned in Column II of the Schedule hereto as the place of nomination for candidatesseeking election in the electoral district mentioned in the corresponding entry in Column I of that Schedule”

M.A.A.