Video: Elections only after reforms: Sobitha Thera

12 March 2015 02:31 am - 12 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera, who heads the National Movement for Social Justice and the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) which were instrumental in the setting up of this Government yesterday stressed the need to put in place the promised electoral reforms before declaring a general election.

They insisted that the next general elections should be held under the new electoral system even if it was held after April this year.

“We don’t mind the government holding the elections after dissolving Parliament in April this year but it should be held under a new electoral system,” Ven. Sobitha Thera told a media briefing last afternoon.

He said no one wanted an election soon while it was the government which fixed the 100-day deadline on its own.

JHU President Venerable Athureliye Rathana Thera said the Government could not buy time by talking of delimitation because the election chief had assured that this process could be completed within 30 days and as such the Government should introduce electoral and constitutional reforms immediately and deliver on its promises.

JHU Leader the Ven. Omalpe Sobitha Thera said the punishing of people who had been accused of corruption was moving a snail’s pace. He said it was disappointing to note that this Government had failed to penalize even one person who faced obvious corruption charges and pointed out that it was politics that was delaying this process.

The monks warned that this was the last chance the country would get to implement the necessary reforms and emphasised that the people would not tolerate any more delays. (YP and SD)

Video by Sanath Desmond

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Comments - 12

Eds Friday, 13 March 2015 11:24 AM

One fellow says one thing, the other fellow says so ething else. This is not governance. This is a bloody joke!

CK Thursday, 12 March 2015 01:17 PM

The Mixed System Fair for Small Parties: According to the latest news the proposed mixed electoral system has 125 seats for the first-pass-the-post, 75 seats for the proportional allocation and 25 for the national list. To secure the fairness for small parties, first a ceiling (upper limit) should be set before the proportional allocation of 75 seats. This should be done per province basis due to localisation of Tamil and Muslim votes. Upper limit is the number of seats according the total votes for each party in the province. e. g. who gets 60% votes in the Southern province is entitled for 15 seats out of total 25. If they have already taken 13 seats from the first-pass-the-post allocation, they will get only the gap of 2 more seats. Not the 60% from the total proportional allocation to the southern province. This will secure a small party who gets 10% to have 2-3 seats. 25 seats in the national list should be allocated according to the total votes in the country without the ceili

Yakada Yaka Thursday, 12 March 2015 01:54 PM

Sobitha thero is correct. People did not fix the 100 day time table.The politicians did it. What the people want is the substantial changes including the reform of the voting system. If that cannot be done within 100 days take some more time. RW is playing politics with the issue. He is not thinking of the country but his party retaining power by geting a substantial number of seats under PR system. Come on man its high time that you elevate yourself from Politician to a Stateman. whom we never had. Exception hopefully present President. It is the Prsident who is responsible to the people as they voted for him not PM. If RW cannot do this power must be transfered to the party having a majority number of seats in the Parliament. Let RW contest the election on his own after the reforms and come to power. Mr. President please do the correct thing. Be firm. Do what is good for the country and lasting democracy but not polical opportunists.

LogicalCitizen Thursday, 12 March 2015 09:30 AM

Keda haliyakma thama. Oka thamai api kiwwe. UNP wants the opposite.

B S Perera Thursday, 12 March 2015 03:34 PM

Election system should be changed as early as possible to have next elections under new system. For me present E. System is worse than Ex. Pres. system

lkboy Thursday, 12 March 2015 10:04 AM

That is right sir. agree.

Mick Thursday, 12 March 2015 10:16 AM

As the late Presient JR Jayawardena said let the Monks look after the temples rather than poke their nose in politics

Upali Thursday, 12 March 2015 10:36 AM

No reverent Sobith Thero because UNP is dead sure of winning a two third majority in the next parliament.

WANW Friday, 13 March 2015 02:57 AM

Useless guys, they think still they are hero.

Jayantha Thursday, 12 March 2015 11:24 AM

Yes we agree

Nihal Amarasekera Thursday, 12 March 2015 11:42 AM

UNP thinks (rather knows) that SLFP is in disarray, with MR phantom factor

To Mick Thursday, 12 March 2015 11:44 AM

To Mick, because of this monks only at least is in peace. We should not forget that. So do not make stupid comments to the good people Mick.

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Video: Elections only after reforms: Sobitha Thera

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