Election watchdog People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections has written to Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena over the proposed amendments to the Local Authorities Election Act.
Executive Director of PAFFEREL Rohana Hettiarachchi in his letter has requested Prime Minister Gunawardena not to take any steps that will delay the conduct of the Local Authorities election.
Rohana Hettiarachchi said the Prime Minister led a Parliament Select Committee on Electoral Reforms which deliberated a number of issues and table recommendations.
The Executive Director of PAFFEREL said he also presented documentations to the Committee in order to amend the electoral system.
Rohana Hettiarachchi said the report of the committee was tabled only recently and now proposals have been made to appoint another committee.
He said this will undermine the committee and the observations of the Parliament Select Committee which was headed by the Prime Minister itself.
Executive Director of PAFFEREL Rohana Hettiarachchi noted that they do not oppose the move to amend the electoral system or the decision to reduce the number of councilors in local government bodies.
He said however under the pretext of reforms, delaying elections further is unacceptable. Rohana Hettiarachchi also noted that the Provincial Councils have been functioning without elected representatives for nearly five years while the Local Authorities election has been postponed for one year.
Executive Director of PAFFEREL Rohana Hettiarachchi therefore urged the Prime Minister not to take any steps that will prevent the conduct of Local Authorities election before the 19th of March 2023.