By Chamodi Gunawardana

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) yesterday said that President Sirisena had informed them that the forthcoming general election would be held under a new electoral system after the 20th Amendment was passed in Parliament.  

SLFP General Secretary Anura Priyadharsana Yapa told the Daily FT yesterday: “Under this new electoral system 165 MPs should be selected to Parliament through the first-past-the-post system, 66 MPs through the preferential system and another 24 MPs through the national list. All together the number of MPs in Parliament would be 255. We have presented these proposals to the Elections Commissioner as well.”

However, when questioned about the measures the SLFP would take if the Government failed to conduct the election under a new electoral system, Yapa said that action would be taken only once a decision was made. 

Minor parties agree to 60 percent

Minor political parties have agreed to 60 percent of the proposals on electoral reforms following talks held with the President yesterday.

Democratic People’s Front leader Mano Ganeshan said that the minor parties will have further discussions on the remaining 40 percent of the proposals and look to reach a consensus.

President Maithripala Sirisena met political party leaders and representatives yesterday for crucial talks to break the deadlock over the proposed electoral reforms. The President’s office said that the Cabinet paper on the proposed electoral reforms was discussed at yesterday’s meeting which was also attended by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

President Sirisena had told the party leaders that any changes to the proposals already on the table could be produced before 12 noon tomorrow at the Presidential Secretariat. He said that once the proposals are handed over, another round of talks would be held in an attempt to reach a final agreement. (Colombo Gazette)