The leaders, 27 of them, said in an open letter that some countries were using health emergency laws to arbitrarily postpone elections.
They said such countries abandoned "appropriate political channels as stipulated by their constitutions and international standards" and did not have a "consensual process for fixing a new date" for elections.
The letter, however, admitted the challenges faced by countries that are due to hold elections - challenges such as how to hold campaign rallies, voter registration, face-to-face debate, and election-day gatherings.
It suggested some key principles that could guide the electoral processes in countries due to hold elections during the pandemic:
A firm grounding in the law.
In protecting the health and safety of our citizens, we must also be sure that protection measures safeguard the integrity of elections and the legitimacy of democratic political systems," the letter said.
