President Wickremesinghe establishes 10-Member Commission to reform election laws

On 02 Nov., President Ranil Wickremesinghe issued a Gazette notification announcing the formation of a 10-member Commission of Inquiry, with retired Chief Justice Priyasath Dep appointed as its leader.

The primary mission of the Commission is to conduct a comprehensive review of all current election laws and regulations, initiate investigations, inquiries, and assessments, and subsequently propose essential amendments to modernize and align these laws with contemporary requirements. The Commission has been granted a six-month timeframe to complete this extensive process.

The appointed members of the Commission are: Justice Wewage Priyasath Gerard Dep, PC – Retired Chief Justice, Suntharam Arumainayaham, Senanayake Alisandaralage, Nalin Jayantha Abeysekara, PC, Rajitha Naveen Christopher Senaratna Perera, Ahamed Lebbe Mohamed Saleem, Sagarica Delgoda, Esther Sriyani Nimalka Fernando, Vitharanage Deepani Samantha Rodrigo and Alan Carmichael Vere David.

The Commission’s mandate encompasses a thorough examination of all existing election laws and regulations, culminating in recommendations for necessary amendments. These recommendations will specifically focus on various factors, including enhancing the representation of women and youth, modernizing the voting process through electronic voting using advanced technology instead of traditional printed ballot papers, and facilitating the participation of Sri Lankans residing overseas.

In addition, the commission will provide recommendations for the establishment of media standards to regulate the responsible use of media by political parties and independent groups. They will also propose a code of conduct for political parties, independent groups, and their members in the conduct of political and public affairs.

Furthermore, the Commission will suggest ways to strengthen the laws and regulations governing the registration and activities of political parties to promote transparency and public accountability.