Provincial Council Elections Can Be Held Under Previous System, Says Shanakiyan

03-Jun-2026

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ITAK Parliamentary Group Leader and Batticaloa District MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam has urged the Government to hold Provincial Council elections within this year, taking into account proposals made by various stakeholders to conduct the polls under the previous electoral system.

Speaking on the issue, he said the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) has made several efforts to ensure that Provincial Council elections are held. He noted that former MP and party secretary M.A. Sumanthiran had previously submitted a private member's bill seeking amendments to the Provincial Councils Elections (Amendment) Act No. 17 of 2017 to facilitate elections under the old system.

However, the proposal was not taken up before the 2024 Presidential Election and therefore was never adopted. Rasamanickam said that a similar proposal he submitted last year is now receiving special attention.

He reminded the Government of its pledge to hold Provincial Council elections within a year of assuming office and stressed that the promise should be fulfilled. He added that such elections are particularly important for the Northern and Eastern Provinces, which were central to the establishment of the Provincial Council system.

According to him, all parties, including the Attorney General's Department, have indicated that elections can be conducted under the previous electoral framework. He urged the Government to proceed with the polls before the end of the year.