• Opposition calls for Polls under pre-2017 electoral system 
• Necessary financial provisions are available to conduct the Provincial Council (PC) Elections, according to Cabinet Spokesperson Dr  Nalinda Jayatissa.

He made this assertion while responding to a question raised by a journalist during the weekly Cabinet media briefing held yesterday (26). He was responding to a query regarding a recent statement by General Secretary of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), Tilvin Silva, who had claimed that the PC Elections could not be held this year due to a lack of funds, as the allocated funds had been utilised to provide relief in connection with cyclone Ditwah.

Dr  Jayatissa assured that the required funds for the Elections have already been allocated and that there is no issue with regard to financial provisions. 

However, he pointed out that the main obstacle to holding the PC Elections lies in the existing legal framework. He further stated that a Parliamentary Committee is currently examining the matter and working towards resolving the legal issues. He added that once the necessary legal provisions are enacted, the PC Elections can be conducted without delay.

Meanwhile, a coalition of Opposition political parties and election monitoring organisations has called for the immediate conduct of the long-delayed PC Elections, following a discussion convened by the People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections in Colombo yesterday. 

The meeting focused on the urgency of holding the PC Polls, the reasons behind their prolonged postponement, and the electoral system under which the Elections should be conducted. All participating Opposition parties and civil society organisations present at the meeting, with the exception of one political party, agreed that the Elections should be conducted under the electoral system that was in place before the 2017 reforms took effect. 

A joint statement reflecting this agreement, signed by the consenting parties, is expected to be submitted to the relevant Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC). Also, the parties and organisations agreed, on a voluntary basis, to ensure 25 per cent representation for women and youth in the PC Elections. 

The discussion was attended by representatives from several Opposition parties, including the UNP, the SJB, the SLPP, the Tamil Progressive Alliance, the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi, the United Socialist Party, the Communist Party, the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress and the Pivithuru Hela Urumaya. Representing the Government, the National People’s Power General Secretary and Parliamentarian Dr  Nihal Abeysinghe attended the meeting.