The Hon. Sivagnanam Shritharan

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Speaker, after long delay following the postponement of the 9 March 2023 local authorities elections and pursuant to court orders, the Government has now brought the Local Authorities Elections (Special Provisions) Bill for Second Reading.

¶ 02 I note the 2023 Amendment (No. 30 of 2023) that came into force on 17 November 2023, which provides opportunities for youth on nomination lists in addition to the existing 25% quota for women. These are welcome.

¶ 03 However, the 60:40 mixed system often results in hung councils without stable administrations. Even the NPP, after winning elections such as Elpitiya Pradeshiya Sabha, faced hung outcomes. For example, in Poonakary PS, 11 members are elected by wards and 9 are additional members — 20 in total — allowing parties with ward majorities to be unable to form the administration due to the topping-up allocation. We have long proposed adjusting the mixed model to 70:30 (70% wards, 30% proportional) to enhance stability. Can this be accommodated now, or by amendment, within time?

¶ 04 Regarding timing: though the Court has indicated a three-month window, within that period fall the G.C.E. O/L exam, the Budget debate, Easter and other religious observances, and Ramadan fasting for Muslims. Members must both debate the Budget here and campaign in their areas. Conducting the poll in April would be extremely tight. It would be more appropriate for the Election Commission/Government to set a slightly later date within reason.

¶ 05 Another issue: in Parliamentary and Provincial Council elections, preference votes of parties or groups polling under 5% are not counted for seat allocation; but in local government, preference votes are still counted even under 5%, distorting “additional member” allocations. Why is the 5% cut-off not applied at local level as well? Since this Bill already requires a two-thirds majority, this small but important correction could have been included.

¶ 06 Local authorities are “mini-governments” delivering basic needs — roads, waste management, village development. People vote based on who can do that work. Please avoid undue haste; consider these adjustments; set a sensible date that does not disrupt examinations and religious observances; and refine the system so ward winners can reasonably form administrations without being overturned by additional seats. Thank you.