Electoral Reforms

reported a meeting of the head of PAFFREL (People's Action for Free and Fair Elections) Rohana Hettiarachchi with former Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena “the longest serving chairman of the Parliamentary Elections Reforms Committee” in spearheading efforts at electoral reforms.

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It said a number of proposals were discussed “to elevate Sri Lanka's electoral system to a freer, clean, efficient and especially democratic system of governance that will strongly represent the sovereignty of the people .”

The following issues had been taken up:

· Holding of all elections on the same day

· Giving more powers to local government bodies

· Counting votes at respective polling stations where votes were cast

· Establishing financial independence for the Election Commission

· Holding all elections on time as mandated by the Constitution.

These changes were proposed to be made through the passage of constitutional amendments and enactment of legal or regulatory provisions.

Both Gunawardena and Hettiarachchi should know by now that there are laws good enough in place already. Their objectives could not be achieved not because of the absence of laws or the inadequacy of the ones existing, but because of the absence of political will. The proposals discussed will not make any difference as long as politicians are not sincere about implementation. It is surprising that a long standing parliamentarian did not realise this.

What is left to be done now “to strongly represent the sovereignty of people” is to strengthen the hand of the sovereign people enabling them to intervene more effectively. A few proposals: