SLFP calls for Provincial elections to be held under old system

By Nuwan Senarathna

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) yesterday called for the upcoming Provincial Council election be held under the mixed electoral system. 

“The mixed electoral system was included in the election mandate of President Maithripala Sirisena as well as by the UNP,” SLFP spokesman Ports and Shipping Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said at the SLFP weekly press briefing held at the party head office.

He said that in order to hold an election under the previous electoral system a new law had to be enacted. 

He pointed out that the SLFP voted in favour of the 19th Constitutional Amendment under an agreement to bring in the 20th Amendment for the Parliamentary election and Provincial Council election to be held under the mixed electoral system. “The Sri Lanka Freedom Party has not changed its position. That is why we are saying the Provincial Council election should be held under the mixed electoral system. If the Constitution Council proposed a draft stating that the election should be held under the new electoral system, then what is the point of holding the Provincial Council election under the previous electoral system,” he added.

He highlighted that the mixed electoral system was brought in to overcome the limitations of the previous electoral system, adding that the SLFP did not have any intention of postponing the elections. 

“I doubt that the five-member committee appointed to review the Provincial Council delimitation report needs two more months. All they have to do is amend the report within two months and present it to the President. The Provincial Council election can be held at the right time,” he stated.

He said he believed that Parliament did not have a role to play with regards to the delimitation report or the election since the report would not come back to Parliament.