Electronic voting system eternally delayed

Friday, 8 March 2013 00:43 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

By Ashwin Hemmathagama – Our Lobby Correspondent

The electronic voting system, which was on the agenda of both the Government and the Opposition for several years, will get delayed further due to difficulties experienced in amending the election laws, Minister of Water Supply and Drainage and Chief Government Whip Dinesh Gunawardena confirmed in Parliament yesterday in response to a question raised by UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake.

“The use of the electronic voting system has been accepted in principle by the last Parliamentary Select Committee on Electoral Reforms. The equipment to be used for the electronic voting system was checked by the University of Moratuwa but election laws have not been amended to implement the same,” said Minister Gunawardena.

According to MP Karunanayake, such delays deprive the public from registering their names on voters’ lists, casting votes at free and fair elections, and electing suitable candidates. During the past 10 years, Sri Lanka held two Presidential elections, three Parliamentary elections, three Provincial Council elections and three local authority elections on 24 dates. “We incur considerably high costs by holding the elections for the Provincial Councils separately. If an electronic voting system was in place, such costs can be avoided,” he said.