Sri Lanka to Set up Committee on Electoral Reforms

Sri Lanka is to set up a parliamentary select committee on electoral reforms following the approval of President Chandrika Kumaratunga's proposal put forward by the Executive Committee of the ruling People's Alliance (PA) party, the official Daily News said on Friday.

After the formation of the committee, all political parties represented in the parliament will be invited to express their views on the manner in which elections will be held in the future, it said.

Earlier the war-torn country had the first past the post system which was later changed to a proportional system of elections.

With local government elections due in March this year it was suggested that the country reverts to the first past the post system under which the candidate who gets the largest number of votes from an electorate is considered the winner in the election.

As a change in the electoral system may take time, the government has decided not to postpone the local government elections and hold it as scheduled.

These decisions were taken at a government parliamentary group meeting held at President's House on Wednesday night.

At the meeting it was also decided that the constituent partners of PA should set up nomination boards for the selection of candidates to contest the local government elections.

People's Daily Online --- http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/