CMEV highlights five issues EC should address

Text and picture by PRIYAN DE SILVA

The National Coordinator of the Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) Manjula Gajanayake said that the CMEV had made a written request from the newly appointed Election Commissioners (EC) to address five major shortcomings in the present electoral process

The CMEV has called for the following:

1. Introduction of a legal mechanism to regulate election campaign finance.

2. Amending antiquated election laws

3. Bringing in a law to enable the youth who happen to turn 18 years on the day of an election to vote.

4. Publishing an electoral calendar to ensure that elections are held on schedule.

5. Establish an advanced voting system to enable over three million persons who are not currently eligible for postal voting to excise their franchise.

Gajanayake said that as the present five-member EC had been appointed by the President after securing a two-thirds majority in Parliament, making the above changes to the present electoral system was possible and would be commended by the electors.