2021-12-02
News Categories : Committee News
The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) suggests that it would be appropriate to hold the Provincial Council elections expeditiously, under the former election system the least limited to this particular election alone. The suggestion was made at the Select Committee of Parliament to Identify Appropriate Reforms of the Election Laws and the Electoral System and to Recommend Necessary Amendments held today (02).
Hon. State Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara who testifying on behalf of the party at the committee stated that many problems have risen due to postponing of the provincial council elections for a long time. He stated that his party was of the view that the provincial council elections should be held immediately. Furthermore, local government elections should be held in the first quarter of next year. The number of local government representatives should be limited to a maximum of 5500, he said.
Hon. Minister Mahinda Amaraweera stated at the committee that it is not appropriate to extend the term of local government bodies. The Hon. Minister also pointed out that the public opinion is that the number of seats in local government bodies should be reduced.
Hon. Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva explained that after the announcement of the Local Government Elections, the powers of those institutions should be transferred to a commissioner until the election is held and the new members are sworn in.
The Leader of the House, Hon. Minister Dinesh Gunawardena stated that the Attorney General is of the view that the Provincial Council elections cannot be held under the existing law and that the necessary legal provisions should be brought for the purpose of the stated. He also stated that the general opinion of the Committee is that the Provincial Council elections should be held expeditiously.
The SLFP proposed to the committee that the number of members to be elected from the divisions should be 60 percent and the number of members to be elected proportionally should be 40 percent when the electoral system is amended.
Necessary legal provisions should be made to limit election expenses. H.E the President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s presentation of a Cabinet Memorandum on Limiting Election Expenditure is commendable. The party also said that women's representation at all levels should be 25 percent of the total number of candidates.
Furthermore, the conduct of media during election period should be regulated. The SLFP also emphasized the importance of regulating social media behaviour.
Professor Sudantha Liyanage, Vice Chancellor of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Chairman of the Expert Committee on the analysis of appropriate reforms of the election laws and the electoral system and to recommend necessary amendments stated if the new electoral system is adjusted to the 70:30 ratio, the existing number of seats in local government bodies could be reduced by 1,500.
He also pointed out the need to revise the electoral system so that the winning political party in the local government area gets two bonus seats.
The Secretary to the Select Committee, Deputy Secretary General & Chief of Staff of Parliament Ms. Kushani Rohanadheera stated that the next meeting of the Parliamentary Select Committee will be held on the 07th.
Hon. State Ministers Lasantha Alagiyawanna and Duminda Dissanayake also represented the SLFP at the committee meeting. Hon. Members of Parliament M. A. Sumanthiran, Madhura Withanage and Sagara Kariyawasam were also present as members of the Committee.
Officials representing the Election Commission and the Attorney General's Department were also present.
2026-05-26
The Central Provincial Council was summoned before the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) to examine the Auditor General’s triennial report for the years 2021–2023, the Auditor General’s report for 2024, and the Council’s current performance.The committee meeting, chaired by Hon. Member of Parliament Kabir Hashim, was held recently at Parliament.During the meeting, attention was drawn to the progress made in implementing recommendations issued at the COPA meeting held on 5th September, 2019. Discussions focused on the incident involving the destruction of files belonging to the Central Provincial Passenger Transport Authority.It was revealed that directives issued by the relevant court and the Presidential Secretary regarding the incident had not been implemented by the responsible authorities. In this regard, the Committee Chairman instructed officials of the Central Provincial Council to submit all reports and correspondence related to the incident to the committee.In addition, the committee discussed an incident involving the unlawful transfer of a rest house owned by the Road Development Authority to a third party in violation of lease conditions. Accordingly, the Chairman instructed officials to identify the officers responsible for making the relevant decisions and to submit a report to the committee on the legal action being taken in connection with the matter.The committee also held extensive discussions on irregularities identified by the National Audit Office in road development and passenger transport services in the Central Province, as well as issues affecting the health sector.Expressing his views during the meeting, the Chairman emphasized the importance of expediting ongoing investigations within institutions and focusing on follow-up action. He further stressed that if a state institution generates profits, such profits should accrue to the government, and if such revenue is used for institutional activities, established legal provisions and procedures must be strictly followed.The meeting was attended by committee members Hon. Members of Parliament Dr. M.L.A.M. Hizbullah, Ruwanthilaka Jayakody, Attorney-at-Law Thushari Jayasinghe, Sunil Rathnasiri, Oshani Umanga, Susantha Kumara Navarathna, Ajantha Gammeddage, Chanaka Madugoda, T.K. Jayasundara and Lal Premanath along with a group of government officials.
2026-05-26
The Parliamentary Select Committee of Parliament to look into and report to Parliament on the matter of selecting the Electoral System under which the Provincial Council Elections should be held and submit its proposals and recommendations in that regard, recently sought views from the Attorney General’s Department and members of the Election Commission.The discussion took place when the committee met in Parliament under the chairmanship of Hon. Minister Vijitha Herath.During the meeting, the Attorney General’s Department briefed the committee on the existing legal obstacles to holding Provincial Council elections and the possible ways in which such obstacles could be removed to facilitate the conduct of the elections.The Election Commission informed the committee that it is prepared to conduct Provincial Council elections at any time under the legal provisions enacted by Parliament based on the committee’s recommendations.The meeting was attended by Hon. Deputy Ministers Arun Hemachandra, Sunil Watagala, Attorney-at-Law and Muneer Mulaffer as well as committee members Hon. Members of Parliament Mano Ganesan, Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam, Dharmapriya Wijesinghe, Samanmali Gunasinghe and Lakshman Nipuna Arachchi. The committee member M. Nizam Kariapper, P.C also participated virtually.
2026-05-25
The Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus has decided to examine the ongoing legal proceedings and matters relating to the protection of the girl involved in the sexual abuse incident reported from the Anuradhapura area.This decision was taken during the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus meeting chaired by Hon. Minister Saroja Savithri Paulraj, held in Parliament today (May 25). Accordingly, a special discussion has been scheduled for 05.06.2026 with the participation of relevant institutions including the Sri Lanka Police, the Attorney General’s Department, the National Child Protection Authority and the Department of Probation and Child Care Services.In addition to the incident, which has generated significant public concern, the discussion is also expected to focus extensively on strengthening the laws and empowering the institutions required to prevent all forms of violence against women and children.Meanwhile, it was also decided to appoint a subcommittee under the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus to oversee the future legal proceedings relating to the Anuradhapura girl’s case and to identify the institutional and legal reforms required in the country to eliminate violence against women and children.The subcommittee will be led by the deputy co-chairs of the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus Hon. Members of Parliament Samanmali Gunasinghe and Attorney-at-Law Chamindrani Kiriella. The other members of the subcommittee will be Hon. Hemali Weerasekara, Dr. Kaushalya Ariyarathna, Attorney-at-Law Sagarika Athauda, Attorney-at-Law Nilanthi Kottahachchi, Attorney-at-Law Nilusha Lakmali Gamage, Attorney-at-Law Thushari Jayasinghe, Attorney-at-Law Anushka Thilakarathna, Attorney-at-Law Hasara Liyanage, Attorney-at-Law Hiruni Wijesinghe and Attorney-at-Law Lakmali Hemachandra.
2026-05-25
The progress of implementing the new education reforms was reviewed at a recent meeting of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Education, Manpower and Human Capital, chaired by Hon. Member of Parliament Hesha Withanage Ankumbura Arachchi. During the meeting held in Parliament on the 19th, extensive discussions were held on the implementation of the new education reforms.Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, Mr. Nalaka Kaluwewa, briefed the committee on the manner in which the new education reforms are being implemented.The meeting was attended by Hon. Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa, committee members, provincial education secretaries, school principals, and several other officials.
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