• To work until decision is reached on electoral system

The Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) examining the electoral system for the long-delayed Provincial Council (PC) elections will continue its work until it makes its final recommendations, despite the Opposition’s decision to withdraw from its meetings, a Government Parliamentarian and Committee member said.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, Committee member Dharmapriya Wijesinghe said Opposition members had not formally informed the Committee in writing that they were resigning, adding that its work would continue.

“They have not informed the Committee in writing thus far that they are resigning. But we will continue to take the Committee forward. We will not stop it,” he said.

He said the Committee had been assigned a specific task by Parliament and would continue until that task was completed.

“The Committee has been given a responsibility by Parliament. That is to recommend the electoral system under which the PC elections should be held. We will fulfil that responsibility. The Opposition should also understand that we have no intention to postpone PC elections through this Committee. However, because we have to ensure youth and women’s representation and because there are shortcomings in the previous preferential voting system, we need some time to make recommendations,” Wijesinghe said.

He further said the Committee was not divided along Government and Opposition lines, noting that a parliamentary committee consisted of its appointed members, regardless of whether they represented the Government or Opposition, as well as its chairperson.

“There is no Government-Opposition division in this Committee. There are members of the Committee. The Speaker has appointed those members. If the majority of those members are present, the Committee can continue,” he said.

The PSC was appointed to examine and report to Parliament on the electoral system under which PC elections should be held and to submit proposals and recommendations.

Parliament has extended the Committee’s term until 17 December 2026, stating that it requires further time to report its observations.

The Opposition recently announced that it would withdraw from future PSC meetings in protest against the extension of its term. Opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya General Secretary and MP Ranjith Madduma Bandara said in Parliament on 11 September that the Committee had already been meeting for nine months and alleged that its proceedings amounted to a delay in holding the PC elections.