The government is to convene a meeting of all political parties and relevant civil society organizations to find ways and means to hold provincial elections which are locked in an impasse due to a legal snag since 2017.
Public Administration, Local Government and Provincial Councils Minister Dr. Chandana Abeyratne said that the government has resorted to this move as the law under which the Provincial Council elections are to be held is not clear due to this legal issue.
Following the mixed electoral system introduced for Provincial Councils in 2017, Parliament rejected the delimitation report submitted by the then Provincial Councils Minister with even the minister himself casting his vote against the report.
This required a review committee for the delimitation purpose appointed by the Speaker and headed by the Prime Minister to submit a report to the President within two months of the minister having submitted the rejected report. If this requirement is fulfilled, the elections could be held without the approval of it by the Parliament, according to the report.
However, as the President did not receive a review committee report within the prescribed two months period, Provincial Councils elections met a legal hitch which has not been resolved for the past eight years.
The minister said that currently there is no applicable law in respect of provincial council elections as the previous law has expired while the new law is incomplete.
Currently powers devolved to the provincial councils are implemented by the relevant Governors of Provinces as there are no elected Provincial Councils.