Parliamentary Select Committee begins deliberations on Provincial Council electoral system

Wednesday, 25 March 2026 00:04 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Parliamentary Select Committee appointed to examine and report on the electoral system under which Provincial Council Elections should be conducted met for the first time under the Chairmanship of Minister Vijitha Herath.

At the inaugural meeting, the Chairman noted that a legal impediment has arisen in holding Provincial Council Elections due to the incomplete delimitation process required to implement the Mixed Member Proportional Representation (MMPR) system introduced through Act No. 17 of 2017, which amended the Provincial Councils Elections Act.

He pointed out that the failure to finalise electoral boundaries has prevented the operationalisation of the new system, thereby delaying elections.

Opposition members, sharing their views, stressed that key public institutions, including those in the education and health sectors fall under Provincial Council administration. They observed that the absence of elected Provincial Councils for nearly nine years has resulted in significant administrative and governance challenges.

Accordingly, Opposition representatives proposed that elections be conducted under the previous Proportional Representation (PR) system, with subsequent steps taken to amend the electoral framework if necessary. The Chairman emphasised the need for a broader and more comprehensive dialogue when formulating an electoral system, particularly one that ensures mandatory representation of women and creates meaningful opportunities for youth representation at the Local Government level.

Highlighting the importance of clarifying the existing legal framework governing the conduct of Provincial Council Elections, he proposed summoning officials from the Attorney General’s Department and the Election Commission to the next meeting to obtain their views and guidance.

The Committee is required to submit its report to Parliament within three months from the date of its first meeting.

The meeting was attended by Deputy Ministers Arun Hemachandra, Sunil Watagala, and Munir Mulaffer, as well as Members of Parliament R. M. Ranjith Madduma Bandara, Mano Ganesan, Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam, Nizam Kariapper PC, Chandana Sooriyarachchi, Dharmapriya Wijesinghe, and Lakshman Nipuna Arachchi.