Colombo (News 1st): Milinda Moragoda, founder of the Pathfinder Foundation and former minister, advocates that the government should hold a non-binding referendum in conjunction with the General Election. Issuing a release, the former minister said provision for this is available under article 86 of the Constitution.

He proposes that one or more issues of;

1. Prefer a full-fledged Presidential system or a Westminster-style parliamentary system.
2. Wish to repeal the Provincial Council system and replace it with empowered Local Councils.
3. Should the present Proportional Representation system for parliamentary elections be replaced with a first-past-the-post system?
4. Support the establishment of a Senate as part of a bicameral system in order to address national issues related to religious, ethnic and regional diversity, which could be selected after careful consideration when drafting the questions for the referendum.

He added, “Although it could make the voting process more cumbersome, holding a referendum on one or more of these above-mentioned issues together with the election, would be more economical and efficient than holding it separately.”

He also said such a referendum would give the citizens of Sri Lanka an opportunity to participate in the policy-making process and would make apparent the will of the people.

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