A Parliamentary Select Committee tasked with determining the electoral system for Provincial Council elections has sought clarifications from the Attorney General’s Department and the Election Commission, as legal and procedural barriers continue to stall the long-delayed polls.
The Committee, chaired by Minister Vijitha Herath, met for the second time at the parliamentary complex last Tuesday, where election officials highlighted critical shortcomings in the reform process.
Election Commission officials told the Committee that reform of the Provincial Council electoral system remains incomplete, primarily due to the failure to finalise constituency delimitation required under the 2017 Amendment No. 17, which introduced a mixed proportional representation system. This lapse has created legal impediments that currently prevent elections from being conducted under the existing framework.
A five-member review committee appointed by the Speaker was expected to submit a report to the President within two months, but that report remains outstanding. Officials stressed there are currently no legal provisions in place to proceed with elections.
The Committee explored the possibility of reverting to the original electoral law. The AG’s Department confirmed the 2017 Amendment could be repealed, which would reinstate the original Provincial Councils Elections Act. Members also discussed a Private Member’s Bill by MP Shanakkiyan Rasamanickam proposing elections under the previous proportional representation system.
Committee members underscored the need for provisions ensuring representation for women and youth in any future electoral framework.
Minister Herath instructed the AG’s Department to prepare a comprehensive report covering Supreme Court determinations related to the 2017 Amendment, current legal obstacles, and possible legislative remedies. The Committee also decided to summon Delimitation Committee officials to a future sitting.
Provincial Council elections have not been held for several years, with successive governments failing to resolve the legal framework necessary to conduct the polls.
