Local Authorities Elections (Amendment) Act 2023

Official English translation. Where it differs from the Sinhala or Tamil text, the Act itself says which text prevails.

Official translationFrom Department of Government Printing, unchanged

s 1Short title

This Act may be cited as the Local Authorities

Elections (Amendment) Act, No. 30 of 2023.

s 2Amendment of section 28 of Chapter 262

Section 28 of the Local Authorities Elections

Ordinance (Chapter 262) (hereinafter referred to as the

“principal enactment”) is hereby amended as follows:-

(1)

in subsection (2) of that section-

(a)

by the substitution for the words, “shall consist of the number of candidates of whom” of the words, “shall consist of the number of candidates of whom not less than twenty-five per centum of the total number of candidates nominated in both the First Nomination Paper and the Additional Nomination Paper shall be youth candidates and of whom,”; and

(b)

by the substitution for the words, “of such local authority, substantially in the Forms set out in the First Schedule, setting out the names-” of the words, “of such local authority. The nomination papers submitted by every recognized political party or independent group in respect of all wards of any local authority shall be substantially in the Forms set out in the First Schedule, setting out the names-”;

(2)

by the repeal of subsection (2A) of that section and the substitution therefor of the following subsection:-

“(2A) The Commissioner shall by notice published in the Gazette, specify the minimum number of youth candidates to be nominated in total in both the First Nomination Paper and the

Additional Nomination Paper and the minimum number of women candidates to be nominated in the First Nomination Paper and the Additional

Nomination Paper as referred to in subsection (2), in respect of all wards of each local authority. Where-

(a)

the total number of youth candidates to be nominated is such that not less than twenty-five per centum of the total number of candidates nominated in both the First

Nomination Paper and the Additional

Nomination Paper; and

(b)

the total number of women candidates to be nominated is such that not less than ten per centum of the total numbers of members to be elected and returned in the

First Nomination Paper, and not less than fifty per centum of the total number of candidates nominated in the Additional

Nomination Paper, would be an integer and fraction, the integer shall be deemed to be the number required for the purpose of this section.”;

(3)

by the insertion immediately after subsection (2A)

thereof of the following new subsection:-

“(2AA) For the avoidance of doubt it is hereby declared that the total number of youth candidates referred to in paragraph (a) of subsection (2A) may include male candidates and female candidates.”; and

(4)

by the repeal of subsections (2D) and (2E) of that section.

s 3Amendment of section 31 of the principal enactment

Section 31 of the principal enactment is hereby amended by the repeal of paragraph (f) of subsection (1) of that section and the substitution therefor of the following paragraph:-

“(f) that does not contain the total number of women and youth candidates as required to be nominated under subsection (2A) of section 28

of this Ordinance.”.

s 4Sinhala text to prevail in case of inconsistency

In the event of any inconsistency between the Sinhala and Tamil texts of this Act, the Sinhala text shall prevail.