Three bills including election law amendment proposal to increase youth representation presented in Parliament

Three private member’s bills containing proposals for amending the laws related to the electoral system of Sri Lanka were presented to the Parliament as a private member’s bill by SJB Member of Parliament Imthiaz Bakeer Markar.

Accordingly, the Bills to amend the Parliamentary Elections Act No. 1 of 1981, the Provincial Council Elections Act No. 2 of 1988 and the Bill to amend the Local Authorities Elections Ordinance No. 53 of 1946 were presented to the parliament yesterday (06).

Thus, the need to provide opportunity to the youth candidates below the age of 35 to represent the above institutions is emphasized through these amendment proposals.

Accordingly, it has been suggested that when submitting a nomination paper in the parliamentary elections or provincial council elections, each political party or independent group shall ensure that not less than one fourth of the total number of candidates to be nominated for the electoral district, and not less than one fourth of the total number of candidates in the district list, shall be youth candidates.

In a Local Authorities Elections, when submitting nominations by each political party and independent group, it is proposed that not less than one fourth of the total number of candidates to be nominated for the local authority, and not less than one fourth of the total number of candidates in the district list, shall be youth candidates.