The elections department has invited officials from the Commonwealth, European Union and the Association of Asian Election Authorities an independent forum that promotes free and transparent elections Deputy Elections Commissioner K. Senanayake said.

Pakistan and Bangladesh also have been invited to monitor the April 2 elections, Senanayake said.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's party asked the elections commissioner to invite local and foreign election monitors this past week after his rival, President Chandrika Kumaratunga, suddenly sacked Parliament and called for snap polls, more than three years ahead of schedule.

Wickremesinghe's party also called for unbiased reporting by the state media.

A power struggle between Wickremesinghe and Kumaratunga flared in November when the president seized control of the defense, interior and media ministries from Wickremesinghe's Cabinet.

The two leaders head rival political parties but were forced to share governing responsibilities after Wickremesinghe defeated the president's party in December 2001 parliamentary polls.

Kumaratunga was elected separately in 1999.

Past elections in this South Asian island nation often have been marred by violence and vote-rigging. More than 60 people died during the 2001 polls.

An EU delegation that observed the 2001 elections concluded that there had been large-scale violence and killings, and said some people were denied access to polling booths. Published: Sat Feb 14 14:25:29 EST 2004