Number of MPs to soar from 225 to 237

• Approves 20A with new electoral system of 237 Parliamentary seats
• 145 to be elected under First-Past-the Post (FPP) system
• 55 under district Proportional Representation (PR) system 
• 37 from National List

The Cabinet of Ministers during a special meeting convened yesterday approved a new electoral system proposed for the 20th Amendment that increased the number of Parliamentary seats to 237 from the current 225.

Under the system approved, 145 Parliamentarians will be elected under the First-Past-the Post (FPP) system, 55 under the district Proportional Representation (PR) system and 37 from the National List through the 20th Amendment to the Constitution.

The new proposal was presented at the Cabinet meeting by President Maithripala Sirisena.

Earlier this week the Cabinet approved an electoral system of 225-member Parliament where 125 MPs will be elected from First-Past-the Post system, 75 from the Proportional Representation system and the remaining 25 members from the National List.

However, minor political parties as well as Government Ministers of minor parties Rauff Hakeem, Rishad Bathiudeen and Palani Digambaram have objected to the proposed electoral reforms, saying that the minorities would not be adequately represented in parliament under the approved system.

At a meeting convened Thursday, minority communities and 18 minor political parties including the Tamil National Alliance, EPDP, Socialist Labor Party and Sri Lanka Muslim Congress have decided not to support the 20th Amendment to the Constitution with the 225-seat Parliament system.

The minor parties also demanded that an opportunity should be provided for a voter to cast two ballot papers.

However, this demand has been rejected and Sri Lanka Muslim Congress Leader Hakeem has said that until this demand is accepted they will not support the 20th Amendment to the Constitution.

Speaking to media after the Cabinet approved the new proposal with the 237-seat Parliament, the leader of the Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) Mano Ganesan said they accept the new electoral system as a positive step.

However, their demand to print two ballot papers has not been met and until it is met their protest will continue.

The 20th Amendment with the new electoral system will be gazetted soon, the Government Information Department said.