Sri Lanka reforms electoral system

SL Parl approved a bill which would pave the way for a new hybrid system of first-past-the-post and proportional representation in local elections.

Colombo: Sri Lankan Parliament Wednesday approved a bill which would pave the way for a new hybrid system of first-past-the-post and proportional representation in local elections. The new system of first-past-the-post and the proportional representation system would replace the existing electoral system based on proportional representation (PR).

Since the PR system was introduced in the late 1980s the it was blamed for internecine clashes within political parties. Candidates of the same party were running campaigns to win preference votes which would enable them to win individual seats. The next local elections due in 2015 would be held under the new system which would see 70 per cent of members elected on first past the post while 30 per cent would be elected under PR. However, officials were not saying if the new system would be applicable to elections for Parliament and the provincial councils. PTI