NO VOTE FOR YOUTH turning 18 AFTER JUNE 1, 2018

The law to update the Electoral Register every four months with a supplementary list of youth completing 18 years needs to be fast-tracked, National Election Commission Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya said.

The Chairman said the Electoral Register last revised in June 2018 will have to be used for the upcoming Presidential, Parliamentary and Provincial Council Polls.

“This means that a large number of youth who completed 18 after June 1, 2018 will not be able to vote at these polls.The Commission prepared a Bill to create a supplementary list to update the Electoral Register every four months to include those who completed 18 years. This was done one and half years ago after consultation with all political parties and authorities, but still it did not find its way to Parliament,” he explained.

“I appeal to the President, Prime Minister, Cabinet of Ministers, MPs and all other relevant authorities to pass this legislation in Parliament without further delay, so that the voting rights of the youth would not be deprived. The removal of the quota to the youth at the Local Government Bodies was unfair by them and do not repeat a similar mistake by not passing this law,” Deshapriya urged.

He said there are over 231,000 new electors to be registered as at now, adding that every four months there are around 50,000 new electors to be registered.

“Many countries have online electoral registers, but we do not have such facilities yet. However, if this Bill is passed we can update the register every four months,” he added.

Asked who is responsible in presenting the Bill in Parliament, Deshapriya said it has to be done by the Prime Minister, Leader of the House or Justice Minister as the Election Commission come under the President.

 

Post a Comment

Previous Post Next Post