Three key election related amendments coming up

Three key proposed amendments related to elections will be included in a proposed Elections (Special Provisions) Bill to be drafted soon,  Cabinet spokesman and Minister Bandula Gunawardena said today.

The amendments will relate to the code of conduct by political parties and independent candidates contesting elections, establishing special polling stations for those who cannot vote in the designated polling station on election day and the amendment which enables instituting legal action for those violating the media guidelines.

The new Bill is to be brought instead of proposing separate amendments to different election acts.

The new Elections (Special Provisions) Act has been approved by the Cabinet. The Bill will amend five Acts, including the Parliamentary Elections Act No. 1 of 1981, the Presidential Elections Act, the Provincial Council Elections Act, and the Local Government Elections Ordinance.

The Legal Draftsman has begun drafting Bills in this regard.

The Cabinet approved the President's proposal to advise the legal draftsman to prepare a bill to introduce a new Act rather than amending all related Acts separately.

Also, the Cabinet approved the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Reforms' proposal to publish the relevant draft bill in the government gazette notification and then table it in Parliament for debate.