Govt. to enact LG Elections Bill soon

14 October 2011 09:30 pm

The government will enact the Local Authorities Elections (Special Provisions) Bill, which provides for a mix of the proportional representation system and the first-past-the-post-system for future elections to local councils, a minister said yesterday.

The bill has already been debated in parliament and has to be put to a vote by legislators.

Petroleum Minister Susil Premajayantha told the Daily Mirror the government did not enact the bill at that time because it wanted to wait till the local council elections were over.

“It is already in the order book of the House. We have four more years to go for the next election. Therefore, we have enough and more time to demarcate the wards under the new bill,” he said.

According to the proposed bill now pending in parliament, one-third of the number of members will be elected to the local councils under the proportional representation system while the rest will be elected under the first-past-the post system.

A delimitation commission will be established to demarcate the wards.  The provincial councils have also endorsed the provisions of the bill.
The minister said the increase in inter-party and intra-party rivalry was due to the present electoral system and therefore a new system was a timely need. (Kelum Bandara)