Stressing that the continued delay in holding Provincial Council (PC) Elections is a serious injustice to voters and potential representatives, the Election Commission (EC) stated that it expects the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC), which is examining the related legal issues, to pave the way for the long-delayed Elections to be held as soon as possible.

When contacted by The Daily Morning yesterday (16), EC Chairperson R.M.A.L. Ratnayake said that the Commission is awaiting the outcome of the PSC process before any decision can be taken regarding the conduct of the PC Elections. He said that EC officials have already appeared before the PSC and presented their position on the matter. “Our officers appeared before the PSC recently. Based on the outcome of the PSC, we will be able to decide on the holding of the Elections,” he said. “I think the Delimitation Commission has also been summoned before the PSC. We expect it to conclude its proceedings and present its recommendations. We don’t know what will happen until then. At the moment, there is nothing that we as the EC can do,” Rathnayake said.

Further pointing out that PC Elections were last held in 2014, he said that the continued postponement of Elections for more than a decade is a serious injustice to the public and to those who seek to represent them. “PC Elections not having been held for more than a decade is a serious injustice to the voters, the people of the relevant Provinces, and the potential representatives."

Speaking further, he said that the EC had repeatedly written to the Secretary to the President seeking clarity on the matter. “We have been writing to the President’s Secretary over and over again. In response to our letters, he recently informed us that the issue is being looked into by the PSC.”

An 11-member special PSC was recently appointed by Speaker of Parliament Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne to examine the electoral system under which the PC Elections should be conducted. The Committee is chaired by Minister Vijitha Herath and has been tasked with studying the most suitable electoral framework and submitting its findings and recommendations to Parliament.

PC Elections have remained stalled for more than a decade due to legal complications that arose from amendments introduced between 2015 and 2020. Although a delimitation report required to facilitate the Elections was completed and presented to Parliament, it was rejected at the time, resulting in the prolonged delay in holding the Polls.