March 20, Colombo, LNW:The Cabinet of Ministers has given the green light to a proposal aimed at overhauling the electoral system, paving the way to elect 160 Members of Parliament directly from their respective constituencies under the First-Past-the-Post (FPTP) system, while the remaining 65 MPs will be elected through the proportional voting system at the national or provincial level.
In response to the objectives outlined in the Election Expenses Regulation Act No. 3 of 2023 and to ensure a more democratic electoral process, the Government Information Department highlighted the necessity for revising the current electoral framework.
To address this need, a Cabinet sub-committee was convened to solicit input from all party leaders and other relevant stakeholders representing the Parliament. Subsequently, a comprehensive report with recommendations was submitted to the Cabinet.
The committee recommended electing 160 MPs directly from their respective constituencies and allocating the remaining 65 seats through proportional representation at the national or provincial level. The statement noted that the majority consensus supported this proposal.
Consequently, the Cabinet of Ministers endorsed the proposal put forth by the Minister of Justice, Prison Affairs, and Constitutional Reforms. The proposal entails advising the Legal Draftsman to draft the necessary legislation, taking into account the recommendations proposed by the committee chaired by the Prime Minister tasked with amending the electoral system.
