President appoints Commission to recommend changes to election laws

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has appointed a Commission of Inquiry to investigate existing election laws and regulations and recommend changes.

The nine-member Commission will be headed by retired Supreme Court Justice Priyasath Dep.

The Commission has been tasked with examining all existing election laws and regulations and making recommendations to suit current needs.

The factors to which special consideration need to be given include increased women and youth representation, introduction of electronic voting using modern technology instead of printed ballot papers and providing facilities for voting by Sri Lankans overseas.

The other issues that the Commission will study and report on are to enable a person to contest two elections and represent both councils at the same time if elected (e.g. to give an opportunity for a person elected to Parliament to also contest a provincial council election, and if elected, have the opportunity to represent both councils at the same time).

Others factors include providing an opportunity for voters not serving in the Government sector, who are engaged in provision of election related services on election day, to use postal voting, formulate an appropriate mechanism blended with the first-past-the-post voting system for the election of people’s representatives, not limiting to the proportional representation system, but taking into consideration the plural nature of society, and reflecting such plural characteristics.

The Commission has also been tasked with making recommendations for the formulation of media standards for the appropriate use of media by political parties and independent groups, introduction of a code of conduct for political parties, independent groups and their membership in performing political and public affairs and strengthening of laws and regulations related to registration of political parties and their operations in a manner that elicits trust and public accountability.