Sri Lanka's Election Commission has requested a fresh Government policy decision and Cabinet mandate to advance a package of electoral-reform proposals that are currently progressing through different processes.
Election Commission Chairman R.M.A.L. Rathnayake said more than 15 reform proposals are involved, including proposals originating under previous administrations.
According to Rathnayake, the Commission has informed the Presidential Secretariat and the relevant Ministry that a fresh policy decision is needed from the current Government to move the reforms forward in a coordinated manner.
Among the proposals discussed by the Commission are measures concerning special polling stations, advance voting and facilities for overseas voting.
The Commission has sought to have the reforms considered in a coordinated package rather than progressing separately through different administrative processes.
The discontinuation of applying ink to voters' fingers was among earlier Election Commission proposals and has separately received Cabinet approval.
However, the wider set of electoral reforms discussed by the Commission has not thereby become law.
The Commission's latest request concerns the Government policy and Cabinet process required to advance the proposals.
No new voting system, overseas-voting arrangement, advance-voting mechanism or election timetable should be presented as having been enacted merely because it forms part of the reform proposals.
Any proposal requiring legislative change would still have to proceed through the applicable constitutional and legislative process.