A Parliament Select Committee (PSC) will be appointed shortly to revise outdated election laws and explore the possibility of granting franchise rights to Sri Lankans overseas.
Election Commission spokesperson and Director Channa de Silva said the Prime Minister endorsed the idea of a Select Committee to look into issues and needs in the sector when Election Commission representatives met him at Temple Trees on Friday. Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya said that the revision of the electoral law is a must to keep abreast with the new challenges and also to make it compatible with the changes contemplated in the strategic plan of the Election Commission.
A Select Committee under the chairmanship of former Minister Thalatha Athukorala too deliberated on granting franchise rights to expatriate workers, which had been a longstanding demand by workers during the last Parliament. With the dissolution of Parliament the term of this Committee expired, the Election Commission spokesman said.
The Prime Minister’s office in a media release also stated that the Premier pledged to propose a Select Committee in Parliament when Election Commission officials met him to discuss their strategic plan.
The Committee is expected to delve into the laws for campaign financing, deposits for political parties running for elections and overseas voting.
The other matters discussed included expanding postal voting for sectors other than those which are already permitted, updating the electoral register every three months so that young voters can exercise their franchise rights soon after attaining 18 years.
Laws to facilitate specially equipped polling centres for the differently-abled and the need for a gradual transition towards electronic voting were also discussed at length, he said.