Party leaders agree to hold PC polls with PR system

By Ashwin Hemmathagama – Our Lobby Correspondent

Party Leaders have agreed to hold the long-due Provincial Council Election following the Proportional Representation system, Public Enterprise, Kandyan Heritage and Kandy Development Minister and Leader of the House of Parliament Lakshman Kiriella confirmed to Parliament yesterday.

According to Minister Kiriella, the United National Party is ready to face any election, be it Provincial Council or Presidential Election, rather depending on the Delimitation Review Committee Report, or the review committee report on the Delimitation Review Committee Report, which was rejected in Parliament last year.

However, expressing concerns over the delayed report on the Review Committee Report, UPFA lawmaker Dinesh Gunawardena held that the term of the Review Committee has expired.

“Parliament rejected the Delimitation Review Committee report. The Speaker appointed a Review Committee, headed by the Prime Minister, to consider this report. This Review Committee can only function for two months. Now the period of two months has exceeded.” 

“Importantly, the Review Committee has failed to send its decision to the President, and also to table it in Parliament. Unless this report is sent, we will not be able to have the Provincial Council Election,” he said.

In response, Deputy Speaker and Chair of Committees J.M. Ananda Kumarasiri informed that he will bring the issue to the attention of Speaker Karu Jayasuriya once he returns from Malta.