Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa says steps will be taken to propose a select committee for amending the existing election laws to grant voting rights to Sri Lankans living abroad.

This was mentioned during a meeting Temple Trees on Friday (16) to discuss the strategic plans of the Election Commission, the Prime Minister’s media unit said.

During the meeting, Chairman of the Election Commission, Mahinda Deshapriya has pointed out the importance of amending the election laws in accordance with the Strategic Plan of the Election Commission 2020-2024.

The authorities of the election body further briefed the prime minister on  the revision of election deposits, facilitating an earlier date for the voters who are unable to exercise their franchise on the day of the election, updating the electoral register every three months in order to grant the youth the right to vote as soon as they turn 18, granting voting rights to Sri Lankans expatriates, controlling election expenses, establishing special polling centres for differently-abled persons and e-voting system.

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MP Attorney-at-Law Sagara Kariyawasam, Additional Secretaries to the Prime Minister Chaminda Kularatne and Ganesh Dharmawardena (Legal), Commissioner General of Elections Saman Sri Ratnayake, Secretary to the Commission H.M.T.D. Herath, Deputy Commissioner of Elections S. Achchudan, Research and Planning Director Channa P. de Silva, Administrative Secretary of SLPP and Chairman of the National Housing Development Authority Renuka Perera were also present during this meeting.