Reforming  Sri Lanka’s Election  System

Reforming Sri Lanka’s Election System: A Senior Citizen’s Perspective The road is now clear to introduce a new election method in Sri Lanka. As a senior citizen, I wish to express my ideas for discussion within our society. These views are based on my personal knowledge and long experience as a citizen and a professional. Since independence, both right-wing and left-wing political parties have come to power. They have done both good and bad. However, when compared with other Asian countries, Sri Lanka still remains behind. There are many reasons for this setback, including social, political, cultural, and economic factors. After 1971, the word “terrorism” entered the Sri Lankan vocabulary. The JVP insurrections of 1971 and 1989, together with the long-lasting Tamil Eelam war, severely damaged our economy and political culture. In addition, many voters made emotional decisions rather than rational ones during national elections. As a result, unsuitable rulers repeatedly emerged since independence. To overcome these long-standing problems, it is essential to change the election system and introduce several constitutional amendments. 1. The Presidency Although the executive presidency was initially introduced as a suitable system for Sri Lanka, its interference in the judiciary and high-level public appointments has caused serious harm. Therefore, the executive presidency should be abolished as soon as possible. Instead, a nominal President, along with an Executive Prime Minister and Cabinet, should be introduced to strengthen parliamentary democracy and institutional independence. 2. Parliamentary and Provincial Council Elections At present, Sri Lanka practices the Proportional Representation (PR) system. Although this is better than the former electorate system, party leaders and senior party officials now control candidate selection and electoral districts for their own benefit. Present Voting Method Voters select a political party. They may either refrain from marking preferences or mark one, two, or three candidates within the selected party. Proposed New Voting Method First, the voter selects a preferred political party. Then, the voter may select up to two candidates from the same party. In addition, the voter may select one candidate from the district list, regardless of party affiliation (except the party already selected). This additional vote will be considered a personal vote, independent of party loyalty. During counting, the total vote will consist of: Party preferential votes, plus Personal votes received by candidates. Through this method, voters can support capable and popular individuals beyond party boundaries. This system would reduce election violence, as candidates would realize the importance of earning votes not only from their own party supporters but also from voters of other parties. 3. One Election for Parliament and Provincial Councils Sri Lanka cannot afford the cost of frequent elections. A review of current Members of Parliament and Provincial Council members shows that the same families often dominate both institutions. My proposal is to conduct one election to select members for both Parliament and Provincial Councils. Example: Monaragala District Parliamentary seats: 5 Provincial Council members: 10 The five candidates with the highest votes (according to party proportions) should be selected for Parliament. From the remaining list, the next ten candidates should be selected proportionately for the Provincial Council. This method allows both institutions to be formed through a single election, reducing costs and limiting family-based political dominance. 4. Local Government Institutions Villages are made up of families and represent the smallest unit of administration. In the past, the administrative chain flowed from the Village Headman to the Korale Mahaththaya, Government Agent, Permanent Secretary, Cabinet, Prime Minister, and Governor-General. Basic public services were once provided by Gamsabhas, Town Councils, and Municipal Councils. Gamsabhas functioned without political party involvement and served communities with dignity. However, after 1970, the introduction of political authorities, Sanwardana Sabhas, and later Provincial Councils severely damaged Sri Lanka’s political culture. Political influence over the public service further weakened governance, causing voters to make emotional decisions rather than informed ones. 5. Proposal for Local Councils Politics should be completely removed from Divisional, Town, and Municipal Councils. I propose: Introducing an electoral system without political parties Allowing only independent candidates to contest elections There are many educated and experienced individuals—retired teachers, doctors, engineers, accountants, bank officers, SLAS officers, and others—living in villages and urban areas. Many wish to contribute to society during their later years without engaging in party politics. This system would enable them to serve their communities effectively. 6. Administration and Statistics Accurate village-level statistics can be obtained through these councils. Currently, several government officers in each Grama Sevaka division draw salaries without meaningful work, often submitting inaccurate data. National-level decisions are then made using unreliable statistics. Village councils can provide accurate, ground-level data. In addition, responsibilities such as road construction and building plan approvals should be clearly assigned to specialized departments, such as a Department of Buildings, with technical support from institutions like NBRO and the Central Environmental Authority. Conclusion All these reforms can be achieved primarily by changing election methods. Electoral reform is the foundation for restoring good governance, political culture, and public trust. Further details will be shared in future articles. This is one of my proposals regarding electoral reform in Sri Lanka, which I hope to share through the World Press platform. — Navarathne Kodituwakku Accountant