Video: Elections should be held for the country & people, not to solve internal issues of political parties

TUESDAY, 29 DECEMBER 2015
Various factions in the government itself come out with various views regarding the local government elections. The President says the election cannot be held due to defects in the electoral system. The Prime Minister stated in Parliament that the election would be held before April. The government doesn’t have a single view. The election is put off due to such crises in the government. As a result people lose the opportunity to elect their representatives to local government councils.

Some may say there needn’t be any excitement as it is a minor election. However, local government bodies are the institutions that are involved more than any other bodies to fulfill people’s day to day needs. Local government bodies are needed to repair the culvert, to get street lights fixed and such matters. At present many local government councils do not have any people’s representatives. Many local councils are under commissioners. However, commissioners are not close to the people. It is difficult to present people’s issues to them or forward a proposal. When elections to local government councils were postponed by one year during the ‘100 day government’ we thought the issue would be solved within a year. However, we cannot allow the elections to be postponed further,” says the General Secretary of the JVP Tilvin Silva speaking at a media briefing held at the head office of the JVP at Pelawatta today (29th).  The Member of the Central Committee of the JVP and Western Provincial Councilor Lakshman Nipunarachchi too was present.

Speaking further Mr. Tilvin Silva said, “As a result of postponing elections several issues have come up in local government councils. The President extended the period of 21 councils that were to end their period in December by 6 months. Also, the role of the councils that were dissolved earlier is not certain. As a result of extending the period of the 21 councils the period of other councils too would have to be extended.

The period of many of these councils ended in March. Then the ‘100 day government’ was in power. The councils were dissolved and they were put under commissioners. At that time the government stated that the elections would be held within a year. Accordingly, the elections have to be held in March, 2016. In such an environment, postponing elections by 6 more months is disputable. Where upon the elections that have been postponed by one year would be put off by another 6 months. Considering democracy and people’s right for elections continuously postponing the elections is unjustifiable. The JVP opposes postponing elections based on issues that exist in the electoral system. The government has no right to postpone election in this manner.

Also, various factions in the government itself come out with various views regarding the local government elections. The President says the election cannot be held due to defects in the electoral system. The Prime Minister stated in Parliament that the election would be held before April. The government doesn’t have a single view. The election is put off due to such crises in the government. As a result people lose the opportunity to elect their representatives to local government councils.

Some may say there needn’t be any excitement as it is a minor election. However, local government bodies are the institutes that are involved more than any other bodies to fulfill people’s day to day needs. Local government bodies are needed to repair the culvert, to get street lights fixed and such matters. At present many local government councils do not have any people’s representatives. Many are under commissioners. However, commissioners are not close to the people. It is difficult to present people’s issues to them or forward a proposal. When elections to local government councils were postponed by one year during the ‘100 day government’ we thought the issue would be solved within a year. However, we cannot allow the elections to be postponed further.

Why does the government want to postpone elections? Various factions within the government have their own agendas. Mr. Maithripala Sirisena and his group want a new system to hold elections. However, the UNP likes the old system. The new system is one that was brought when Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa was in power and one that would give them an advantage.  It has been prepared   combining the Proportional Representation (PR) and the First Past the Post (FPP) system. Mahinda Rajapaksa and his group used their power to re-demarcate electorates to their advantage. There are several issues regarding the demarcation process. As such, a Commission was appointed to find out faults. The Commission admitted that the demarcation was not scientific and there were several faults. Certain divisions were demarcated according to the cast system giving an advantage to Rajapaksas. In certain divisions Grama Seva areas had been divided. President Maithripala Sirisena and Nimal Siripala de Silva have admitted there were errors in the proposals. Hence, these errors should be corrected. A new commission should be appointed for demarcation. Also, there are many defects in Local government Act. Amendment s should be made to correct them. These issues should be solved. However, the elections should not be postponed due to the defects of the new system.

We propose that the local government elections should be held at the due time. If the new system is a hindrance the election should be held according to the old system. Also, we say the issues that exist in the proportional representation system such as preferential voting system should be removed. If a new electoral system is introduced people’s wishes should be reflected in it.

Meanwhile, the government states a new constitution would be introduced. The government has decided to appoint a committee for this and get people’s views. If a new constitution is introduced it should compulsorily include a new electoral system. The local government election system cannot be used for all elections. Hence, a common electoral system that is suitable for all kinds of elections should be entered to the constitution. We say if the government is concerned about the country and people and act wisely a common electoral system should be adopted. It should be framed having good features of both proportional system as well as the first past the post system. Elections need not be held with a hap hazard manner. Elections need not be held just because certain political parties are in a haste to have elections, due to hunger for power or to solve internal issues of political parties.
When elections are held for such reasons other crises are created. Elections should be held for the country and the people. This is why a common electoral system is necessary.

Throughout the history of our country when electoral systems or constitutions are framed they had been done according to the wishes and the advantage of the ruling party but not according to the needs of the country. Mr. J.R. Jayawardene framed the proportional representation system to protect the votes the UNP polled in 1970. Later, when it boomeranged on the UNP and was a disadvantage they also started talking about a new system. When framing a new electoral system issues regarding communities, women’s representation. Hence, a system should be framed that would be acceptable for all. There are defects in the existing proportional representation system. They are the results of the shortsightedness of the rulers of this country. Several issues have come up in all areas due to local government bodies do not fulfill their services properly. There are no people’s representatives in local bodies for the people to put forward their issues. Hence, we demand the government to hold the local government elections before April next year. It could be held according to the old system. When a new constitution is framed a new electoral system too could be framed. The government should take measures to get views of all for such a task. The JVP has already handed over its proposals. It is difficult to hold an election by attempting to correct errors in a few months. For, political parties would need at least six months or a year to prepare their machinery for an election when a new system is introduced. It is a matter accepted by the Commissioner of Elections as well as in other countries. The government ignoring such examples is regrettable.