Proposals Submitted by the
Sri Lanka United Congress Party
to the Constitutional Reform Council
January 2026
1. Executive Presidency
The Sri Lanka United Congress Party supports the continuation of an Executive Presidential System, subject to clearly defined constitutional limitations and safeguards.
The Constitution shall expressly provide that:
The President is accountable to Parliament for the exercise of executive authority; and
All presidential acts and decisions are subject to judicial review, notwithstanding any form of immunity.
Presidential intervention in matters relating to the administration of justice, judicial processes, or the independence of the judiciary shall be expressly prohibited or strictly limited.
Where any act, decision, or omission of the President is alleged to be prejudicial to ethnic harmony, social cohesion, or fundamental rights, and proceedings are instituted before a competent court, the President shall be legally bound by and fully comply with all judicial orders and determinations.
There shall be two Vice Presidents, appointed as follows:
One Vice President shall represent the Muslim community; and
One Vice President shall represent the Tamil community.
Both Vice Presidents shall be members of registered political parties and shall be jointly nominated by the President and the Prime Minister, in accordance with constitutional provisions.
2. Electoral Reforms
2.1 Local Government Elections
Local government elections shall be conducted under a mixed electoral system, comprising:
50% Ward-based representation, and
50% Proportional Representation.
Electoral boundaries shall be redrawn to create new wards, with due regard to demographic realities.
In order to protect the political rights of minority communities residing outside the Northern and Eastern Provinces, additional wards shall be created for Muslim and Tamil populations within each electorate.
In areas where minority populations constitute less than five percent (5%), such populations shall be aggregated geographically for the purpose of forming viable minority-representation wards.
2.2 Creation of New Constituencies
New parliamentary electirate shall be established, including but not limited to:
Akkaraipattu
Kattankudy
Kinniya
Dehiwala
2.3 Parliamentary Elections and Composition
Parliamentary elections shall continue to be conducted under the Proportional Representation system.
For purposes of equitable representation:
Two parliamentary constituencies shall be treated as a single electoral district; and
Parliamentary seats shall be allocated proportionately within such districts.
Parliament shall consist of:
200 Members of Parliament elected through the electoral process; and
30 Members of Parliament appointed through the National List.
In addition, the President shall appoint religious representatives as Members of Parliament, as follows:
Five (5) Buddhist monks
Three (3) Hindu priests
Two (2) Islamic scholars
One (1) Christian priest
Such appointees shall:
Be not less than forty (40) years of age;
Accordingly, the total number of Members of Parliament shall be 240.
2.4 Parliamentary Privileges and Allowances
The payment of fixed monthly salaries to Members of Parliament shall be discontinued.
Members shall instead receive attendance-based allowances strictly limited to participation in parliamentary sittings and official duties.
The issuance of vehicle permit facilities to Members of Parliament shall be abolished.
However, reasonable transport expenses incurred in attending parliamentary duties shall be reimbursed.
3. Resolution of the Ethnic Question
The Northern and Eastern Provinces shall not, under any circumstances, be re-merged.
Provincial Councils shall be abolished, and in their place:
District Councils shall be established, based on one administrative council for every four electoral constituencies.
Such District Councils shall:
Operate under the framework of the Provincial Councils Act; and
Facilitate effective and decentralized public service delivery.
Elections to District Councils shall be held once every five years, on a constituency basis.
If Provincial Councils are retained notwithstanding the above:
Tamil-majority areas in the Eastern Province may, subject to the consent of their elected representatives, be merged with the Northern Province;
Sinhala-majority areas of the Ampara District may, subject to consent, be merged with the Uva or Central Provinces;
Muslim-majority areas in the Northern Province may, subject to consent, be consolidated into a separate regional council.
Where none of the above options are feasible, the Eastern Province shall remain unchanged.
The proposal to merge the North and East while subsequently allocating a separate administrative unit to Muslims is categorically rejected, as it constitutes an attempt to subordinate Eastern Muslims to the political authority of another ethnic group.
A South-Eastern Electoral District shall be established, with its administrative headquarters located in Sammanthurai, comprising:
Kalmunai
Sammanthurai
Akkaraipattu (new)
Pottuvil
A comprehensive inquiry shall be conducted into the resettlement of Muslims displaced from the Northern Province, including:
Restoration of lost lands, properties, and valuables; and
Assignment of responsibility to the Northern Provincial administration.
Sri Lanka is a multi-ethnic and multi-religious state, and the Constitution shall guarantee equal protection and dignity to all religions.
Any act of inhuman or deliberate insult directed against any religion or ethnic group shall be subject to prosecution by the relevant Ministry responsible for religious affairs.
A National Inter-Religious Harmony Council shall be established under the chairmanship of the President, consisting of:
Five (5) religious leaders from each recognized religion; and
All members shall be above forty (40) years of age.
4. The qualification and Nomination of Candidates
Nomination fees shall not exceed:
LKR 1,000 for political party candidates; and
LKR 2,000 for independent candidates for local elections.
Any increase beyond these limits shall be deemed a restriction on the democratic participation of economically disadvantaged citizens.
Mandatory quotas requiring a specified percentage of youth candidates in nomination lists shall be abolished.
The compulsory appointment of unsuccessful women candidates to councils shall be discontinued.
As women already constitute 25% of nomination lists:
Women shall either be elected through direct elections; or
Be appointed through discretionary party nominations.
Mandatory appointment quotas shall not be imposed, as they are inconsistent with democratic principles.
5. Voting Rights of Sri Lankans Residing Abroad
Sri Lankan citizens residing overseas shall be granted the right to vote.
Appropriate mechanisms shall be established to enable such citizens to cast their votes through a secure online voting system administered by the Election Commission, using verified personal electronic mail authentication.
Thank yiu
Irfan Muhideen
General Secretary
Sri Lanka United Congress
2026
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