The Centre for Human Rights and Research has urged the government to announce the timeline and electoral mechanism for the long-delayed provincial council elections, which have not been held for over a decade.
In a statement issued this week, the Centre called on authorities to make public their plans “without delay,” if they are indeed committed to holding the elections within this year as outlined in the government’s official election manifesto.
Quoting a senior government source, a weekend newspaper reported that the administration is currently considering holding the elections under the previous proportional representation system.
Executive Director of the Centre for Human Rights and Research, Rajith Keerthi Tennakoon, emphasised that provincial councils must once again function as “governance by the people, for the people.”
He added that it is the collective responsibility of all stakeholders to ensure that the elections are held as soon as possible and that elected representatives return to govern these key regional institutions.