The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) has expressed concern over the continued delay in holding Provincial Council elections, accusing successive governments, including the current administration, of failing to fulfill repeated promises to restore provincial-level democratic governance.
In a statement issued on Monday (25), the CPA noted that more than a decade has passed since Provincial Council elections were last held in 2014, warning that the prolonged absence of elected representatives has weakened devolved governance and undermined democratic rights.
The organization said unresolved legal and procedural issues linked to the Provincial Councils Elections (Amendment) Act of 2017, including disputes over the new electoral system and boundary delimitation process, have repeatedly been used to justify postponements.
The CPA also noted their disappointed as the government has failed to prioritize legislative and administrative measures needed to conduct the polls, despite earlier pledges to hold elections within a year of assuming office.
The statement further raised concerns over recent comments made by the General Secretary of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), Tilvin Silva regarding the delay, arguing that policy decisions of such significance should be communicated by constitutionally accountable ministers in Parliament rather than party officials outside formal state structures.
The CPA warned that continued postponements risk creating a “party-state dynamic,” where decision-making authority operates through informal political channels instead of constitutionally mandated institutions.
It also noted that Provincial Councils are currently being administered by governors appointed by the central government, which it said contradicts the spirit of representative democracy and the devolution framework established under the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.
The organization called on the government to take immediate legislative action to resolve legal ambiguities surrounding the electoral system, establish a clear roadmap for completing delimitation activities and publicly commit to holding Provincial Council elections without further delay. (Newswire)
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