Amendment to existing law necessary for holding PC polls, AG informs PSC

Leader of the House and Education Minister Dinesh Gunawardena has informed the Parliamentary Select Committee on electoral reforms that the Provincial Council elections cannot be held without an amendment to the existing law.

Minister Gunawardena, who is also the chairman of the PSC, said that the Attorney General’s opinion had been consulted on the holding of elections for the provincial councils and the latter had pointed out that the elections could not be held even under the previous system with an amendment to the law.

The minister said so at a meeting of the Select Committee of Parliament to identify appropriate reforms of the election laws and the electoral system and to recommend necessary amendments held on Friday (8).

The minister told the committee members that this a legal impediment to hold the Provincial Council elections, which were functioning for a prolonged period of time without people’s representatives.

Various members of the committee had previously stressed the need to hold Provincial Councils elections without delay and reiterated the same sentiments during the Friday’s meeting.

Although the existing Act on Provincial Council elections is repealed, the polls cannot be held under any system without enacting a new Act, the Attorney General has informed the committee.

The PSC comprises of Ministers Nimal Siripala de Silva, Prof GL Peiris, Basil Rajapaksa, Pavithra Wanniarachchi, Douglas Devananda, Wimal Weerawansa, Ali Sabry and MPs Jeewan Thondaman, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Kabir Hashim, Ranjith Madduma Bandara, Mano Ganesan, MA Sumanthiran, Madhura Withanage, Sagara Kariyawasam and Rauff Hakim.

Among those present were State Minister of State Minister of Ornamental Fish, Inland Fish and Prawn Farming, Fishery Harbour Development, Multi Day Fishing Activities and Fish Exports Kanchana Wijesekera, MPs UK Sumith, Gunapala Ratnayake, local government officials and politicians of the Kuruengala District.