A 12-member Parliamentary Select Committee has been appointed to review the country’s election laws and submit recommendations to strengthen electoral integrity, with the explicit exception of provisions governing Provincial Council polls.
Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne announced the appointment in Parliament on Monday, saying the committee would conduct a comprehensive examination of the existing electoral legal framework and report its findings to the House. The committee is also mandated to propose measures aimed at improving transparency and the overall integrity of the electoral system.
Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government Dr. A.H.M.H. Abayarathna has been named chairman. The other members are Upali Pannilage, Muneer Mulaffer, Sunil Watagala, Ravi Karunanayake, J.C. Alawathuwala, Harshana Rajakaruna, Kathiravelu Shanmugam Kugathasan, Ruwanthilaka Jayakody, Thushari Jayasinghe, Mayilvaganam Jegatheeswaran and Chandima Hettiarachchi.
The cross-party composition includes opposition figures alongside government MPs, with NDF MP Karunanayake’s inclusion notable given his recent calls for parliamentary scrutiny of the Treasury cyber heist.
The exception for Provincial Council laws is politically significant. Provincial Council elections have not been held since 2018 across most provinces, and the NPP government has yet to schedule them since taking office in late 2024. A separate select committee on PC polls is reportedly stalled over legal hurdles, with opposition parties — including the SJB through Lakshman Kiriella — repeatedly demanding a date.
