PAFFREL calls for Private Member Bill on LG bodies to be defeated 

• .Says the bill is a death blow to the sovereignty of the people and democracy 
• Claims bill does not specify for how long a Minister will be able to reactivate LG bodies 
• Stresses governments could misuse the law to not hold elections when unfavourable

Independent election monitors, People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) yesterday called for the recently gazetted Private Member’s Bill presented by Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MP Jayantha Ketagoda to be defeated.

According to PAFFREL, the failure to hold elections as scheduled while attempting to reactivate Local Government bodies whose tenure has elapsed by amending existing legislation as proposed is a significant blow to both the sovereignty of the people and the principles of democracy. “This is yet another milestone in the attempts to obstruct elections and embark on a dictatorial journey,” the organisation said. 

“The private member’s proposal states that if the poll cannot be held due to a crisis at a time when the local government bodies have been dissolved and the poll called, the existing law should be amended so that the minister can recall the dissolved local government bodies for a certain period of time. According to this section, the discretionary period is not specified and accordingly, the members of the dissolved local government bodies can be recalled even for a lengthy period at the discretion of the minister.” PAFFREL noted. 

PAFFREL also noted that the bill has failed to elaborate on the term ‘crisis’ allowing the Government or the relevant Minister to misuse it. The organisation said they refuse to accept this as a mere Private Member Bill given the Government’s reluctance to hold polls. 

PAFFREL said with this amendment in place, it raises uncertainty about whether any government will prioritise recalling elected representatives instead of conducting elections whenever they perceive it to be unfavourable

“If any representative of the people supports this proposal to become a law, it will be a great blow to the people’s sovereignty,” PAFFREL said while urging all MPs and the people to come together to defeat the effort. PAFFREL also said it will take all legal steps possible to prevent the bill from being enacted as law.