PARLIAMENT

Seven political parties that are not represented in Parliament have been summoned before the Parliament Select Committee to identify appropriate reforms of the election laws and the electoral system and to recommend necessary amendment, said its Secretary and Deputy Secretary General and Chief of Staff Kushani Rohanadeera.

The committee will meet in Parliament tomorrow (28) at 2.00 pm under the chairmanship of Leader of the House, Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena.

Among the parties invited so far, Liberal Party,  Akil Ilankai Tamilar Maha Sabai,  Social Democratic Party of Tamils,  Sinhaladeepa Jathika Peramuna and  Samathuvakkadchi Party have confirmed their participation, the Deputy Secretary General said.

The parties that have not yet confirmed their participation are the Mawbima Janatha Party and the United Peace Alliance.

PAFFREL, an election monitoring organization, presented their proposals at the PSC meeting on the 14th.

The Parliamentary Select Committee was appointed by Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena last April to make recommendations to amend the electoral law  and the electoral structure.

The committee met for the first time on May 17.

The other members of the committee are Ministers Nimal Siripala de Silva, Prof. GL Peiris, Pavithradevi Wanniarachchi, PC Ali Sabri, State Minister Jeevan Thondaman, MPs Kabir Hashim, Ranjith Maddumabandara, Mano Ganeshan, M.A. Sumanthiran and Sagara Kariyawasam.