PR system likely due to delay in PC polls: Minister

Local Government and Provincial Councils Minister Faizer Musthapa said yesterday the the country could return to the much criticised proportional representation system merely because of the delay in holding provincial council elections.

He said this during the debate on the provincial council electoral system in Parliament.

The minister said only political parties which represent the minority communities are opposing the new mixed electoral system. “These parties are the ones opposing the mixed system and thus betray betray their respective communities. They are not prepared to contest on their own," the minister said.

“I have had to face adverse situations because I am supporting a national political party," he said and added that Sri Lankans should get rid of their practice of voting for candidates of their own ethnic group.

The minister said the delimitation committee should take the blame for the mess in the mixed electoral system introduced to the local government bodies. “The delimitation committee turned down my request to call up a round table discussion to clarify the new electoral system," he also said. (Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana)