Commissioner General of Elections Saman Sri Ratnayake has revealed that Sri Lanka currently lacks a legal framework to conduct Provincial Council elections.
Speaking recently, Ratnayake highlighted that the previous law governing these elections was repealed, and efforts to draft new legislation have stalled since 2018.
The Commissioner General placed full responsibility on Parliament, urging lawmakers to urgently enact the necessary laws rather than merely debating the timing of the elections.
He pointed out that a 50:50 mixed proportional representation system, proposed in 2018 and including a delimitation process, had been completed and submitted to Parliament but faced opposition from both MPs and the relevant minister.
Despite the formation of parliamentary committees, including one chaired by former Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, attempts to resolve the legal impasse were halted following the dissolution of Parliament.
Ratnayake said that this ongoing delay is directly obstructing the ability to hold Provincial Council elections and called on legislators to prioritise the establishment of a clear legal framework without further delay.