JVP says no to new electoral system

8 January 2012 07:57 am

The JVP today criticized the proposed bill for the introduction of the new election system for local the bodies. The JVP charged that it, if passed in Parliament, would only aggravate the prevailing crisis in electoral politics.

Addressing a press conference, JVP parliamentary group leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that the democratic verdict of people was not properly reflected through the present electoral system and the proposed Local Authorities Elections (Amendment) Bill would not be a solution to the prevailing crisis.

“Today, intimidation and inducements are used to throttle the democratic rights of people in the run up to any election. Therefore, we cannot say that the people’s mandate is properly reflected through Parliament or other governing bodies.  Instead of addressing the real cause of the problem, the government is now going to enact a new bill in the House on January 17,” he said. (Kelum Bandara)