Rosy, civil society groups demand 25% quota be implemented in LG councils

By Skandha Gunasekara

Colombo Mayoress Elect Rosy Senanayake and a multitude of civil society groups and advocates have called on the Elections Commission and all political parties to implement the 25% quota for Local Government councils, without deviating from the provisions of the constitution. 

“We call on the Chairman and Members of the Election Commission to implement fully the 25% quota for women in accordance with the Local Authorities Elections (Amendment) Act No. 16 of 2017” a letter addressed to the Elections Commission, leaders of Political Parties and the Speaker of Parliament by Rights groups stated. 

The letter was drafted by the Women & Media Collective, Women’s Action Network, Viluthu Centre for Human Resource Development and backed by 50 other civil society groups along with 174 individual activists. 

Women & Media Collective Director-Programs Kumudini Samuel told Daily FT that political parties cannot legally refuse to appoint female candidates to the council.

“If the parties have to appoint more women than men, then the political parties must do so because the women were nominated to contest this election, whether for ward seats or appointment from additional persons’ list, on equal basis with the male candidates,” Samuel asserted.

Meanwhile, Colombo Mayoress Elect Rosy Senanayake too wrote to the Elections Commission, expressing her regret that the 25% quota was being questioned, 

“I am dismayed at the news that the implementation of the 25% quota for women in Local Government elections is being questioned in the context of the election held on 10 February 2018. The 2017 Local Authorities Elections Act, which amended the Local Authorities Ordinance, was successfully brought before Parliament by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, and was the result of 20 years of agitation by women working on the ground around the country,” she said.

Senanayake then demanded to ensure that all Councils are constituted with a minimum of 25% of women members. “To now say that this minimum 25% of women council members cannot be implemented is disingenuous and in bad faith. Neither the Commission of Elections nor the Political Parties should consider adhering to this law to be “unfair” or “burdensome.” To disregard the law would not only be discriminatory towards women but also circumvent the democratic process and the expectations of the electorate.

“If, in the future, it is necessary to amend the law to further clarify the details of how exactly women members are allocated by each political party in different circumstances in order to ensure the 25% minimum of women members, I will fully engage with and support that process. In the meantime, however, the Commission of Elections and the Political Parties are under both a legal and moral obligation to implement the current Law and ensure that all Councils are constituted with a minimum of 25% of women members and I strongly urge them to do so without delay,” she said.

Chairman of the Elections Commission Mahinda Deshapriya this week claimed that some Local Government authorities with overhangs being unable to establish their councils if parties refused to nominate the required number of female candidates. According to the chairman, in the case of Local Authorities with small councils where a single party has achieved an overhang and therefore cannot nominate women from the additional list, the other parties would have to appoint female candidates to meet the stipulated 25% quota of female representation in a council.

“If a party refuses to appoint a female candidate to fill the 25% quota claiming that it would be unfair on the male candidates then a council cannot be established,” Deshapriya said while addressing a press conference on Wednesday (14).  

Speaker to refer women’s quota issue to Constitutional Council 

• Requests Elections Commission Chairman to introduce digital election system for future elections 

By Skandha Gunasekara

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya yesterday agreed to refer the matter of the implementation of the 25% quota of female representation to the Constitutional Council when it meets next week.

The Speaker agreed to do so during a meeting with Chairman of the Elections Commission Mahinda Deshapriya, who pointed out some practical difficulties faced in establishing Local Government (LG) Councils.

The Chairman met with the Speaker in Parliament yesterday upon invitation.

The Speaker also decided to forward a report by the Elections Commission on minimising various issues faced during an election period.

Deshapriya also took the opportunity to express his regret for the delay in releasing the official results of the election.

However, while commending the Elections Commission, the Department of Elections and all other officials involved in the election process for conducting a free and fair election, the Speaker pointed out that this was the first time holding elections under the new electoral system and that a few delays were not a problem as the overall election was transparent and peaceful.

The Speaker also advised the Chairman of the Elections Commission to look into holding elections through a new digital system for future elections.