PC elections delay draws PAFFREL criticism as Rohana Hettiarachchi urges government to stop using technical excuses and committees.
PC elections delay has drawn a stern warning from the People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections, with its Executive Director Rohana Hettiarachchi urging the government to stop using “technical excuses” and committee appointments to postpone Provincial Council polls.
Speaking to the media in Colombo on May 7, Hettiarachchi said it has now been more than 14 years since some provinces last held elections. He specifically pointed to the Eastern Province, which last went to the polls in 2012, and the Uva Province, where elections were last held in 2014.
As a result, he said, these provinces have remained under the sole administration of Governors instead of elected public representatives.
The PAFFREL Executive Director criticised the government for failing to act with the necessary urgency. He said the administration was falling short of its own policy commitments, particularly since its election manifesto had clearly pledged to hold both Local Government and Provincial Council elections within one year.
However, Hettiarachchi said that even after more than a year and a half under the current leadership, there was still no visible preparation or clear timeline for holding the polls.
“This is the same way previous governments continued to use these ‘committee systems’ as a tactic to delay elections. They used ‘electoral reforms’ as a strategy for postponement,” Hettiarachchi said.
He added that reports had now emerged that the government had appointed yet another committee, this time dealing with electoral reforms outside the Provincial Council system.
Hettiarachchi said that over the last 15 years, enough committee reports had already been compiled. These reports, he said, contain the views of political parties, civil organizations, and citizens regarding the electoral reforms needed in the country.
Therefore, he said, the government should now move to pass the required amendments immediately instead of delaying the process further.
“This is why we are requesting the government to stop further delays caused by these committees and to swiftly enact the necessary legislation by bringing the already prepared draft bills to the attention of Parliament,” Hettiarachchi said.
