Deadline extended for political parties to submit their proposals on electoral reforms

Yesterday’s meeting in progress (pic courtesy Communications Deparetment, Parliament)

The Parliamentary Select Committee on Election law reforms yesterday (21)  extended the deadline given to recognized political parties to submit their proposals on the reforms related to election laws and the electoral system until July 15.

Accordingly, the Chairman of the Select Committee Leader of the House, Minister Dinesh Gunawardena requested the relevant political parties to send their proposals in writing on or before this date.

Those proposals can be sent to sec.pscelectionreforms2021@parliament.lk or to the Secretary, Parliamentary Select Committee, Parliament of Sri Lanka, Sri Jayawardenapura, Kotte.

The Secretary to the Committee and the Deputy Secretary General and Chief of Staff of Parliament Mrs. Kushani Rohanadeera states that the Committee has received 94 proposals and comments regarding the election law reforms thus far.

Cabinet Ministers Nimal Siripala de Silva, Prof. G.L Peiris, Pavithra Devi Wanniarachchi and M.U.M Ali Sabry, Members of Parliament Anura Dissanayake, Kabir Hashim, Ranjith Madduma Bandara, Mano Ganesan, M. A. Sumanthiran, Madura Vithanage and Sagara Kariyawasam were also present at the meeting.

The Committee also agreed to conduct the election law reforms in accordance with the Mixed Electoral System. The committee also discussed identifying reforms related to the election laws and the electoral system of local government, provincial council and parliamentary elections based on that principle.

The Chairman of the Committee stated that the Elections Commission and PAFFREL would be invited to submit proposals and evidence before the Committee and the Committee agreed to do so.

The role of this Special Parliamentary Committee is to identify reforms related to the election laws and the electoral system and to recommend necessary amendments in this regard.