Electoral reforms before polls: President

4 March 2015 04:25 pm Views - 9967

President Maitripala Sirisena told the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) parliamentary group that he had decided to introduce a new electoral system before the next general elections.

The SLFP MPs greeted this announcement with applause as the party has insisted on the enactment of electoral reforms together with constitutional amendments. According to SLFP sources, the President pledged to implement a mix electoral system made up of the First-Past-the-Post and the Proportional Representation Systems.

He is reported to have said that he would take initiatives in this regard in consultation with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, the Attorney General, the Elections Commissioner and the Surveyor General.

The President said nobody should be concerned about the timeframe involved in this exercise as what was more important was to keep the pledges made to people during the presidential election campaign highlighted in the 100-day programme of the new government.

The President asked the SLFP MPs to be prepared to introduce these reforms in the greater interest of the country and its people.( Kelum Bandara)