To: THE PARLIAMENTARY SELECT COMMITTEE (PSC) APPOINTED TO IDENTIFY APPROPRIATE REFORMS OF THE ELECTION LAWS AND THE ELECTORAL SYSTEM AND TO RECOMMEND NECESSARY AMENDMENTS
From: WOMEN AND MEDIA COLLECTIVE; WOMEN’S RESOURCE CENTRE, KURUNEGALA DISTRICT; WOMEN’S DEVELOPMENT CENTRE, BADULLA DISTRICT; WOMEN’S SOLIDARITY FRONT, KANDY DISTRICT; RURAL WOMEN’S FRONT, GALLE DISTRICT AND VILUTHU CENTRE FOR HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT, NORTHERN, EASTERN AND NORTH WESTERN DISTIRCTS.
This submission is based on consultative discussions organized by the Women and Media Collective on 12.06.2021 and 16.06.2021 with women politicians, activists and advocates from across the country in Sinhala, Tamil and English. Also included are recommendations from submissions made by us to the Parliamentary Select Committee on Electoral Reforms in May 2004 and to the Public Representations Committee on Constitutional Reform in 2016.
While thanking the PSC for calling for public submissions at this initial drafting stage, we also respectfully urge the Committee to share with the public their findings and pre-final recommendations for another round of consultative discussion. We would also be happy to meet with the PSC to discuss our recommendations more fully.
These recommendations are in two parts; the first section relates to electoral systems reform including increasing women’s representation, and the second to electoral reform in general and recommendations to democratise the political culture in Sri Lanka. At the outset we wish to ask that the Committee consider the important task of electoral reform in terms of four key principles: those of ensuring overall proportionality; gender balance, accountability, and the enabling of an ethical and democratic political culture.