Parliamentarian Shanakiyan Rasamanickam has accused the government of continuing to delay Provincial Council elections by once again extending the term of the Parliamentary Select Committee appointed to examine the electoral system for Provincial Council elections.
Although the term of the Select Committee had already been extended, Chief Government Whip Nalinda Jayatissa today moved a resolution in Parliament to extend its term further, until December 17, 2026.
Shanakiyan Rasamanickam said he strongly opposed the resolution both as a member of the Select Committee and as an elected representative of the people.
He noted that the Select Committee on Provincial Council elections had met yesterday, but no issue regarding a further extension of its term had been raised during that meeting.
He said discussions at yesterday’s meeting focused on increasing women’s representation to 25 percent and on youth representation.
He also noted that youth representatives from the National People’s Power (NPP) had appeared before the Select Committee the previous day, where discussions were held on youth representation.
However, he pointed out that no member of the Opposition had been included in those discussions on youth representation.
Shanakiyan said that with the mechanisms required to conduct Provincial Council elections already clearly identified, repeatedly extending the Select Committee’s term would only result in unnecessary delays.
He said the Election Commission has clearly stated that Provincial Council elections can be conducted under the existing previous electoral system.
At the same time, the Election Commission has indicated that provisions can be introduced to ensure adequate representation for women and youth, including through the necessary amendments to the law.
“With the Election Commission having already proposed a mechanism to conduct the election, it is unacceptable to repeatedly extend the term of the Select Committee instead of implementing that mechanism,” Shanakiyan Rasamanickam said.
He further alleged that government members of the Select Committee have also opposed the solutions proposed by the Election Commission.
“What is being done is simply to extend the term of the Select Committee and waste time. Instead of continuing to discuss how the election should be conducted, the government must take action to hold the Provincial Council elections, which are a democratic right of the people,” he stressed.
Shanakiyan Rasamanickam said he had recorded his strong opposition in Parliament to what he described as the government’s improper attempts to further postpone Provincial Council elections.
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