JO favouring smaller parties

The Joint Opposition (JO) said yesterday it was prepared to push for electoral reforms which would favour smaller political parties such as the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP).

It said it was of the view that the proposal to annul the votes of a political party polling less than five percent of the total votes was a blow to many of the smaller political parties.

“Several of the smaller parties like the JVP will be affected by the proposed cut-off point. Therefore, we will join them to reduce it to two or three per cent,” JO National Organiser Dullas Alahapperuma told a news briefing.

However, he said they were against the present preferential voting system as it had led to many issues including violent incidents. The MP also said the election for local government bodies would not be held right away once the delimitation report was gazetted.

“Once the gazette on delimitation was issued, there are two major steps to be taken prior to holding the election. First, the number of representatives for each electorate should be gazetted and then electoral reforms should be brought to the Cabinet. So far not even a draft had been made. It seems the government is tactfully delaying the election in an attempt to avoid an imminent elections defeat,” MP Alahapperuma said.

He said if the government was unable to hold the LG election on time, the JO would launch an island-wide campaign on March 19 to collect 5.3 million signatures for a petition in a attempt to urge the government to hold the election for LG bodies.

“Two years will be completed for March 19 since the last election for LG bodies was held. If the holding of the election is getting delayed because of the new electoral system, the government should at least hold the election according to the current system,” he said.

Two years will be completed for March 19 since the last election for LG bodies was held. If the holding of the election is getting delayed, at least hold the election according to the current system