August 19, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka’s Election Commission has begun the formal evaluation process for the registration of new political parties ahead of the 2025 electoral calendar.
According to Commissioner-General of Elections Saman Sri Ratnayake, preliminary interviews are now underway for 47 aspiring political movements that have cleared the initial screening phase. These interviews form part of a multi-stage selection process through which successful applicants may ultimately be granted official party status.
The Commission originally received 83 applications from various groups and individuals following a call for submissions earlier this year in February. However, 36 of these were dismissed outright for not satisfying the basic eligibility criteria set out by the Commission—ranging from administrative shortcomings to incomplete documentation.
Those that met the minimum requirements have now progressed to the first round of formal interviews, where each applicant’s structure, proposed political ideology, and adherence to democratic principles are being scrutinised. The Commission has emphasised that only those with clear organisational frameworks and demonstrable public engagement potential will be considered for the next stage.
Parties that pass the current vetting process will be invited to a second round of interviews, during which more detailed assessments will be made. Following this final stage, qualifying groups will be granted official recognition as political parties for the year 2025.
At present, Sri Lanka has 86 registered political parties, though many of these remain inactive or function with minimal public presence. The introduction of new parties could inject fresh ideas and competition into the democratic arena, especially as the country approaches key elections amid evolving political sentiments and public demands for reform.
