Why insist on ad hoc bonus seats, ratios and minimum percentage vote for elections?

It is reported in the press to continue with ad hoc measures such as bonus seats, PR:FPP ratio and minimum vote percentage under the proposed electoral reforms to tide over so-called issues of stability, PR vs. FPP and minority representation.

At the outset, such ad hoc measures changing with every election amply prove that they are not scientifically founded on empirical evidence and research.

The writer as a sovereign voter cum senior citizen has already submitted out-of-the-box proposals to the concerned committees in keeping with the very objectives of electoral reforms. Therefore, let me please briefly deal with the said three issues which unfortunately seem to be still entrenched in a parochial state, in the broad minds of some of our leading politicians, political pundits, academics and civil activists.

Stability in political institutions

This egoistic concept of stability as created and promoted by power hungry politicians is for all purposes not in keeping with the wishes of the sovereign voters of a modern democracy where they expect all parties in both sides of the divide, to equally contribute to arrive at the best solutions/laws/programmes favouring the country after constructive, wise and healthy debates. 

Conversely, maintaining an absolute majority by one party will surely lead to misguided and dictatorial decisions as we have experienced in 1970, 1977, 2018 and now in 2020/’21.

Besides, the creation of stability by introducing bonus seats unsupported by valid votes is a gross aberration which contravenes the concept of equality of vote in a democratic system as laid down in the UN Human rights Convention of 1948. Besides, it is a very simplistic measure which is equivalent to bonus points granted in certain games of sport.

The solution in this instance rather lies in breaking new ground as objectively desired under electoral reforms with a robust method to a) Allocate seats to parties on a cut and dry basis of proportionate arithmetic and b) Ensure selection and election of honest, wise and educated political professionals who are fully committed to place the country first to represent the 16.3 m strong sovereign voter population. 

To guarantee the advent of political professionals, the National Elections Commission (NEC) shall stipulate stringent eligibility criteria and structured Interview systems for prospective candidates by rule of law. [The writer’s detailed proposals covering a) and b) above have already been submitted to the said committees and appeared in the press too.]

When such professionals with country at heart, deliberate and decide on the best fine-tuned options for the country, terms such as unstable, hung, cross-overs, which are all creations of unscrupulous politicians, will become misnomers in our political vocabulary.

Ad hoc ratios under mixed voting system

We know that the experiment of mixed voting system trying to support proponents of both PR and FPP systems through ad hoc ratios at 2018 Local Government elections became a cropper, causing a virtual triple jump increase in the number of elected members and delays in releasing the final results caused by hangovers! 

The ever-changing ratios amply prove that they are not derived by proper research and empirical evidence. The writer has submitted a simple, flexible proposal to the said committees to accommodate four types of such proponents in order for them to name their candidates to fill the seats allocated to them, in keeping with the secondary objective of an election process.

Minority representation

The questions here is, why should a section of the population be imbued with a minority feeling and downgrade themselves to seek preferential treatment on the one hand and why should the majority feel good by giving preferential treatment to their fellow citizens on the other?

It is very unfortunate and sad that we are still not ready to think as Sri Lankans having equal rights and duties. If we continue with minimum percentage vote criterion, and prefer to be afflicted with the parochial majority vs. minorities syndrome, our country will perpetuate the ethnic conflict like the beggar’s wound and will never ever come out of it.

Therefore, it is high time that, at any level of elections, all votes be considered as Sri Lankan votes attaching equal value to every valid vote. Only this concept can iron out the elusive issue of majority vs. minorities and ensure an equal value for each Sri Lankan vote counted in the north, south, east or west as aforesaid and stressed in my proposals.

It is pertinent to mention that the writer has already revealed the distorting effects of applying the said ad hoc measures vide a table analysing the results of the 2020 General Election, in his submissions to the said committees and the press.

Promotion of Sri Lankan concept

If the afore-stated facts receive due consideration of the concerned committees, the electoral reforms will surely trail-blaze a paradigm shift towards a cultural and attitudinal change of treating all citizens as Sri Lankans. No doubt, the mass media shall play a crucial role in this effort.

“Look not at the finger, but at the moon!”

Bernard Fernando

Moratuwa