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National, district level delimitation committees
appointed:
Initiative for new electoral system
by Ranil Wijayapala
The Provincial Councils and Local Government Ministry has taken the
initiative in the process of implementing the new electoral system at
future Local Authorities elections. It has appointed national and
district level delimitation committees for the division of Local
Authorities’ areas into wards, to determine the boundaries of the wards
and give names and numbers to the wards.
 Secretary to the Ministry of Provincial Councils and Local Government
R.A.A.K. Ranawaka told the Sunday Observer that the National
Delimitation Committees and the District Delimitation Committees will
obtain the views and suggestions of recognised political parties,
organisations and interested persons till January 31, 2013 in the
process of marking the determination of ward boundaries.
The appointment of the National Delimitation Committee and District
Delimitation Committee has been carried out by the Minister according to
the provisions of the Local Authorities Elections Act which was passed
in Parliament recently.
According to the Secretary of the National Delimitation Committee
appointed for the division of Municipal Councils, Urban Councils and
Pradeshiya Sabhas into wards, the report on this is expected to be
completed by May 31, 2013 to be handed over to the Minister of
Provincial Councils and Local Government.
The National Delimitation Committee comprises Jayalath R.V.
Dissanayake (Chairman) and P.G.H. Premasiri, Vimal Rubasinghe, A.M.
Nahiya and Thevaraj Athavan.
The District Level Delimitation Committees appointed to assist the
National Delimitation Committee will be chaired by the District
Secretary of each district.
It will comprise representatives from the Department of Elections,
Provincial Ministry of the Local Government, the Department of Surveyor
General, Department of Census and Statistics and a public officer
nominated by the Minister of Provincial Councils and Local Government.
Accordingly, 25 District Delimitation Committees have been appointed
to assist the National Delimitation Committee and they are expected to
carry out the division and demarcation of boundaries of 334 Local
Authority areas in 25 districts and to allocate numbers and names for
each ward.
Interested political parties, organisations and persons can submit
their proposals to Secretary, National Delimitation Committee of Wards
for Local Authorities, No. C. 51, Keppetipola Mawatha, Colombo 5 or to
the Chairman of the District Delimitation Committee in each district.
“After finalising the division and demarcation of boundaries, they
will be gazetted with the approval of the Minister and the President to
conduct future Local Government elections based on the wards system,
combining the first past the post and proportionate electoral systems”,
he said.
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