Elections Commission Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya says the 25 percent female representation has become a crisis and the Bill should be amended after taking into consideration the situation faced by the members of Local Government bodies.
Deshapriya expressed these views after a discussion between the representatives of political parties and the election commission.
The Government on July 2017, gazetted the Provincial Councils Elections (Amendment) Bill to increase the number of female representatives in Provincial Councils. The Bill seeks to amend the Provincial Councils Elections Act, No.2 of 1988.
This made it binding on all political parties and independent groups to field at least 25 per cent female candidates in Provincial Council elections.
As per the Bill, the returning officers were given authority to reject any nomination paper which does not contain the number of female candidates required to be nominated.
The Bill was issued by Local Government and Provincial Councils Minister Faiszer Musthapha as a Supplement to the Gazette on July 7.
