Protecting elections in Sri Lanka with a focus on natural and human-made hazards

This case study explores Sri Lanka’s approach to protecting elections since the current iteration of the Election Commission of Sri Lanka (ECSL) was constituted in 2015. It focuses on responses to natural and human-made disasters and elements of operational planning and disaster preparedness that the ECSL has formalised in cooperation with the government and other agencies.

The data gathering for the case study consisted of desk research and three interviews with stakeholders carried out in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Drawing on the above methodology, the case study explores the context in which the ECSL operates, the extent to which it has institutionalised risk management, and hence its resilience and ability to recover from crises.