Electoral reforms: Proposals from small parties

5 May 2015 12:57 am Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 6 Bookmark

CHATURANGA PRADEEP SAMARAWICKRAMA Follow

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An alliance of smaller parties will submit their proposals for electoral reforms to President Maithripala Sirisena this week, a party leader said yesterday.

These parties comprising the Democratic People’s Front (DPF), the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) the Upcountry People’s Front and a few others have formed a core group to advocate their rights in the evolution of a new electoral system in Sri Lanka.

DPF Leader Mano Ganeshan told Daily Mirror the core group would submit its proposals next Friday after a discussion among themselves.

Meanwhile, the government has formulated a concept paper on the contours of the proposed system. Mr. Ganeshan said the architect of this concept paper had been asked to explain whether it would not reduce the electoral representation of small parties. (Kelum Bandara)

Comments - 6

Giabao Tuesday, 05 May 2015 09:07 AM

Its time for these religion or ethnicity based parties to join main/ national parties. They are the ones who create tension and mistrust between communities for their own survival. Hope the new system make way to disappearance of these small parties. .

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Liberal One Tuesday, 05 May 2015 09:10 AM

See the opportunism of these minority parties and jvp? They are all for weakning the presidency because that means more bargaining power for them. They oppose 20A because it lessens the bargaining power of them. If we are to go for a parliamentary system first thing to make sure is the ability to create stable governments that represent the people mandate. Otherwise we will be digging our own grave.

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Nihal Amarasekera Tuesday, 05 May 2015 09:54 AM

How does a party becomes "small" or "large". Big or small serves them right. Representation, my foot!

2 3

dilip Tuesday, 05 May 2015 12:07 PM

I think the system we have now is nothing wrong. The problem is, parties and the leaders tent to choose thugs and crooks as candidates for the elections. We should have strict rules regarding the selection of candidates ,background, education ect. Even if the system is charged, and the political parties forward crooks, we are back in the same mess

3 11

Eng.M.V.R.Perera Tuesday, 05 May 2015 02:54 PM

why change the present very democratic system call for nomination for each electoral seat and give the results of the seat as a % of the votes cast allocate the seats for parties as is done now and select the MPs of the party according to the % of votes cast

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Sincere Tuesday, 05 May 2015 03:21 PM

Manapa system must be abolished. Because the history has proved that it is a wrong system and a very ugly black mark in the electoral system of this country. Get back to the old system of one MP elected for an electorate. After all it is the choice of voters and not the majority or minority parties.

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