by Saman Indrajith

Leader of the House, Education Minister Dinesh Gunawardena says that the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on electoral reforms wanted to hold elections for the provincial councils expeditiously.

The PSC appointed to Identify Appropriate Reforms of the Election Laws and the Electoral System and to Recommend Necessary Amendments has already made a request to the Attorney General’s Department to obtain their recommendations on the steps to be taken to hold the election at an earliest possible date, said Gunawardena who is also the chairman of the PSC.

The minister said so at a PSC meeting held at the parliamentary complex on Wednesday (22).

MP Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thero who testified on behalf of the ‘Our Power of People Party’ (Ape Janabala Pakshaya) said that it would be appropriate to abolish the existing preferential electoral system completely. He also pointed out the need to have a Member of Parliament responsible for each electoral division.

He urged that the representation of minority parties should be ensured and a culture of ideological politics should be created in the country. He added that criteria should be formulated regarding the control of election expenses and that democratic principles should be introduced to political parties.

Speaking at the committee on behalf of the SJB, the party’s chief executive, former minister Ajith. P. Perera, said that the 20th amendment to the constitution had given power to other parties. He also pointed out that a policy of checks and balances should be implemented between the executive, the legislature and the judiciary.

Perera stated that there is a code of conduct for Members of Parliament and it should be implemented in practice. He also raised the need to formulate a Code of Conduct for Members of Provincial Councils and Local Government bodies.

He also said that in all electoral reforms, the right to vote should be guaranteed as a part of the sovereignty of the people and the principles of democracy should be upheld there.

Perera further said that it was very important that all elections be held freely and fairly. He also emphasized in the Committee that Parliamentary, Provincial Council and Local Government elections should be held under the Proportional Representation System.

New laws should be enacted to regulate the financial expenditure of the election campaign and to ensure the representation of youth and women, he urged; and suggested that dual citizen should be disqualified from contest elections and that a system should be set up for the proper registration of all eligible voters.

The SJB representatives pointed out the need for equal distribution of state and private media airtime between the parties contesting the elections.

MP Kabir Hashim said that there should be an election schedule in the country to ensure the right of the people to vote.

Ministers Nimal Siripala de Silva, Douglas Devananda, Wimal Weerawansa, M.U.M Ali Sabry, MPs Anura Dissanayake, Ranjith Madduma Bandara, M.A Sumanthiran, Rauf Hakeem, Mano Ganesan, Madura Vithanage and Sagara Kariyawasam were also present at the meeting.

Officials from the Delimitation Commission and the Attorney General’s Department also participated in the committee. The next meeting of the Parliamentary Select Committee is scheduled to be held on Sept 29, said Secretary to the Select Committee, Deputy Secretary General and Chief of Staff of Parliament Kushani Rohanadheera.