Opposition Leader Presents Electoral Reform Proposals to UN Mission

Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa met with the United Nations Technical Electoral Needs Assessment Mission in Parliament On Monday (13)

The Mission was led by Ms. Michele Griffin, Director of the Electoral Assistance Division of the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs. Also attending were Mr. Dan Malinovich, Electoral Policy Specialist, and Ms. Amanda Stark, Political Affairs Officer.

The delegation is in Sri Lanka to explore opportunities for international technical cooperation to enhance the efficiency, transparency, and inclusivity of electoral processes.

In his opening remarks, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa welcomed the UN delegation and outlined a set of comprehensive proposals aimed at strengthening Sri Lanka’s democratic and electoral framework. Key points included:

 • Strengthening the Election Commission by enhancing its independence, capacity, and resources to ensure accountability and adherence to the highest democratic standards.
 • Modernizing voter registration using international best practices and introducing stronger regulations to curb vote-buying and electoral corruption.
 • Promoting inclusivity and equal representation for women, ethnic and religious minorities, and under-represented groups.
 • Ethical integration of technology in the electoral process to avoid deepening inequalities.
 • Campaign finance reforms and the introduction of stronger laws to ensure free and fair elections.
 • Improved dispute resolution mechanisms, including simplifying nomination papers to reduce unnecessary rejections and legal costs.
 • Enhancing civic education and voter empowerment to foster a more informed electorate.
 • Acknowledging the importance of women’s representation, while encouraging national dialogue on the balance between choice and representation.
 • Learning from international best practices and enshrining voter rights in the Constitution as part of broader constitutional reform discussions.

The Opposition Leader noted that these proposals represent an initial framework for constructive engagement on electoral reforms, with the goal of making Sri Lanka’s democratic system more modern, equitable, transparent, and inclusive.