Sri Lanka’s current mixed electoral system for Local Government (LG) elections is fundamentally flawed and irrelevant. It must be scrapped without delay to reestablish functional, democratic LG bodies with councillors directly accountable to the people.
The LG elections held on May 6 for delayed councils exposed a system riddled with incompatibilities. It’s so dysfunctional that even constitutionally guaranteed quotas, such as women’s representation, cannot be effectively enforced.
In Sri Lanka’s three-tiered democratic system, LG bodies are the most grassroots form of governance. Positioned below Provincial Councils (PCs), these bodies are vital for delivering local development and public welfare. For that reason, the voting process must be straightforward, empowering people to choose their representatives directly without the haze of political parties, quota complications, or proportional representation.
At LG elections, a voter should have the right to choose a representative from the very “ward” they live in. This fundamental right is being diluted by convoluted electoral frameworks. The old system used before 1977 and still active in the UK and India is the “First Past the Post” (FPP) model. It ensures that voters elect individuals they know, who are directly answerable to them. That kind of clarity and responsibility is absent in the current mixed method.
To understand this system’s decline, we must look back to 1977 when then Prime Minister J.R. Jayewardene, empowered by a massive majority, introduced the 1978 Constitution and a powerful Executive Presidency. This shifted accountability away from the people. The newly introduced proportional representation system, based on political party votes and broad polling districts, further widened the gap between the voter and the elected Member of Parliament (MP).
This system has since eroded the people’s sovereignty a principle enshrined in the Constitution under Section 03, which defines sovereignty as encompassing the powers of government, fundamental rights, and the franchise. A franchise only holds value if the elected representative is answerable to the voter. That accountability has been lost in procedural elections post-1989.
To correct this, Sri Lanka must abolish the existing hybrid system and return to direct democracy at the LG level where councillors and members are elected from specific wards and are truly representative of the people they serve.
Proposed Structure for LG Bodies
1. Councillors and Representation
Only members directly elected from wards should constitute LG bodies. For example, if a local body (MC/UC/PS) has 25 wards, then only 25 members should serve—one from each ward.
2. Voter Rights
Each voter must have the right to elect one representative for their respective ward.
3. Eligibility of Candidates
Candidates must prove a minimum 10-year residence in the LG area. Inclusion in the Householder’s List is not sufficient proof.
Ensuring Citizen Participation
01. Fixed Duration and Timely Convening
LG bodies should not exceed four-year terms. The first council meeting should occur within three weeks of official results.
02. Immediate Responsibility
At this first meeting, the council must elect a Mayor/Chairman and Deputy by majority vote, presided over by the Assistant LG Commissioner.
03. Action Plan Presentation
Within four weeks of the council’s first meeting, the Mayor/Chairman must present the council’s four-year action plan and publish it publicly.
04. Public Referendum on Plan
The action plan must be subjected to a referendum within four weeks. If 500 voters support amendments, the plan can be revised accordingly.
05. Transparent Reporting
Every second quarter, a “performance report” for the previous two quarters must be submitted by the Mayor/Chairman and made public within three days.
06. Dedicated LG Websites
Each LG body should maintain an official website to publish news, updates, and council notices in real time.
If this blueprint for reforming Sri Lanka’s LG electoral system is embraced, it could reinvigorate grassroots democracy. Feedback and additional ideas are welcome because rebuilding starts with representation that works.
