COLOMBO, October 18, 2026 — Chairman R.M.A.L. Rathnayake says the Commission is ready to conduct Provincial Council elections once Parliament resolves outstanding legal issues, while reforms to advance voting, overseas voting and election monitoring continue.
Sri Lanka’s Election Commission has urged Parliament to expedite the legal amendments required to hold the long-delayed Provincial Council elections, declaring that it is ready to conduct the polls once the necessary legislative framework is established.
The Commission’s appeal, made on Thursday, October 15, comes as the elections remain stalled over unresolved changes to the electoral system and the delimitation of constituencies.
Election Commission Chairman R.M.A.L. Rathnayake said the Commission had made five submissions to the Parliamentary Select Committee appointed to examine the legal and electoral arrangements necessary to conduct the polls.
“We made special submissions, both verbally and in writing, on the systems required to ensure 25% representation for youth and women through the mixed proportional system,” Rathnayake said.
The Commission also intends to approach President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to request that the outstanding legislative amendments be prepared without further delay.
Provincial Council Elections Await Legal Amendments
The prolonged absence of Provincial Council elections has left the future of elected provincial representation dependent on decisions that Parliament has yet to complete.
The principal obstacles concern the electoral system under which the polls should be conducted and the delimitation process required to determine constituencies.
These matters have been under examination by the Parliamentary Select Committee, which is tasked with identifying a workable framework and recommending the necessary changes.
Rathnayake said the Election Commission had already provided its observations and recommendations on five occasions.
Its proposals include measures intended to improve the representation of women and young people within the electoral system.
The Commission’s position is that the administrative machinery can proceed with elections once Parliament establishes the necessary legal framework.
The immediate responsibility for resolving the legislative deadlock therefore rests with Parliament, rather than with the Commission’s operational preparations alone.
Election Commission Reviews Political Party Registration
Addressing a media training programme, Rathnayake also outlined several electoral reforms being pursued alongside preparations for the Provincial Council polls.
These include changes to political party registration, voter identification, advance voting, overseas voting and the regulation of social media during elections.
Following a call for applications in January 2026, the Commission received 41 applications for recognition as political parties.
Of those applicants, 16 have been called for second-round interviews, while seven have been invited to final-round interviews.
Rathnayake said the recognition process was expected to be completed soon.
The Commission is also reviewing weaknesses in existing political party registration laws, including provisions governing deposits and other requirements that may need updating.
These revisions are intended to bring the legal framework into line with contemporary electoral administration.
Electoral Register Revision Completed for 2026
The Election Commission has completed the main stages of revising the 2026 electoral register.
Rathnayake provided the following certification dates:
- September 15, 2026: First supplementary electoral register certified.
- September 22, 2026: Main electoral register certified.
- October 1, 2026: Second supplementary electoral register certified.
- January 31, 2027: Third supplementary electoral register scheduled for certification.
The supplementary registration process forms part of the Commission’s broader efforts to maintain accurate voter records.
Although the initial revisions have been completed, the final supplementary certification remains scheduled for January 2027.
Advance Voting Proposed for Essential Workers and Persons With Disabilities
The Commission has spent the past three years working on amendments to Sri Lanka’s electoral laws.
Draft legislation intended to strengthen voter identification procedures has already been submitted to Parliament.
Separately, proposals to introduce advance voting have been forwarded to the Legal Draftsman’s Department.
The proposed arrangements are intended to assist voters whose professional responsibilities or personal circumstances may make it difficult to cast their ballots through ordinary polling procedures.
The groups identified include personnel working in essential services such as health, electricity, highways and aviation, as well as persons with disabilities.
The proposals have not yet been enacted into law.
Their implementation will depend on the completion of drafting procedures and the necessary legislative approvals.
Overseas Voting Roadmap Under Preparation
Another reform under consideration concerns voting rights for Sri Lankan citizens living abroad.
A special committee appointed by the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government is examining arrangements that could enable overseas citizens to participate in elections.
The committee, chaired by an Additional Commissioner of Elections, has reviewed international practices and consulted election specialists from several countries.
An international conference held in August brought together election officials and experts from Australia, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Nepal and the Maldives.
The discussions formed part of the Commission’s examination of possible approaches to overseas voting.
A roadmap is now being prepared in consultation with relevant stakeholders.
No final operational model or implementation timetable was announced in the supplied account.
Social Media Election Policy Being Drafted
The Election Commission is also preparing a policy framework to monitor and regulate social media activity during elections.
Rathnayake said the Commission had obtained views from experts and other stakeholders, including Asia-Pacific representatives of major technology companies such as Meta and TikTok.
Discussions with officials at the companies’ regional headquarters in Singapore have also informed the drafting process.
The proposed policy is intended to establish clearer procedures for dealing with social media activity during election periods.
Its final provisions, enforcement mechanisms and implementation timetable have not yet been announced.
Separately, the Commission is preparing draft legislation to address shortcomings identified in the Regulation of Election Expenditure Act.
That work follows consultations with district-level election officials who have experience administering and monitoring election-related requirements.
Parliament’s Decision Will Determine When PC Polls Can Proceed
The Election Commission’s latest appeal places renewed attention on the legislative obstacles preventing Provincial Council elections.
While work continues on electoral registration, political party recognition, advance voting, overseas voting and social media regulation, those wider reforms do not remove the immediate need for Parliament to settle the Provincial Council electoral framework.
Rathnayake has made clear that the Commission is prepared to conduct the polls once the necessary laws are in place.
The next step rests with Parliament and the relevant authorities responsible for completing the outstanding amendments.
Until those decisions are made, the long-delayed Provincial Council elections remain without a confirmed date.
