Legislative Standing Committee agrees on 25% of youth representation under the proposed Local Authorities Elections (Amendment) Bill

Friday, 10 March 2023 00:05 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Local Government Elections (Amendment) Bill presented by the Member of Parliament Premnath C. Dolawatte and Imthiaz Bakeer Markar as Private Members’ Bills along with Ministerial reports were considered by the Legislative Standing Committee recently in Parliament.

The Legislative Standing Committee which took into discussion the said Bill was chaired by Ajith Rajapakse, Deputy Speaker of Parliament.

Standing Orders 53(4) dictates that “No clause that is not in accordance with the basic desire of the Honourable Member presenting a Bill shall be allowed to be included in a Bill.” Accordingly, the committee directed to re-draft Bill 126 considering the youth representation.

The Committee also instructed the officials of Attorney-General’s Department and Legal Draftsman Department to re draft the Bill No. 160, by deleting the Principal Enactment which includes with Women Representation by substituting it with Total Youth Representation with the concurrence of the sponsoring Member of Parliament.

Given that, the Committee was of the view that 25% of the youth from the aggregate should be represented in the first and second nomination lists of the local government elections.

Accordingly, The Committee directed the officials representing the Legal Draftsmen and the Attorney General’s Departments to re-submit the amended draft of the said Bill before the Committee.

Ministers Nimal Siripala de Silva, M.U. M. Ali Sabry, State Ministers Janaka Wakkumbura, Sisira Jayakody, Dr. Rajitha Senaratne, Prof. Channa Jayasumana, Ajith Mannapperuma, Sarathi Dushmantha, Kokila Gunawardena, Milan Jayathilaka, Major Sudarshana Denipitiya, Premnath C. Dolawatte, M. W. D. Sahan Pradeep Withana, Madhura Withanage, Sagara Kariyawasam, Manjula Dissanayake were present at the Committee meeting.