Rajiva Wijesinha

“ It is quite preposterous that a political party should claim that the nomination paper handed in on its behalf is a forgery, and at the same time not want, or be unable to do anything, to prevent an election that is based on this forgery taking place. ”

“ Now, under the current system, everyone in a district has to represent everyone. Since they also therefore have to develop their popularity amongst everyone, they have to spend enormous amounts of time and energy dealing with parochial problems over a large geographical area. This is not easy to do without additional resources, which is why members of parliament so anxiously seek executive office too. How else can they provide jobs as members of parliament are expected to do, or expedite remedies for the problems that befall their vast range of constituents? ”

“ Indeed, on the contrary, generally there is praise for the system adopted by the JVP in seeking election through District lists. Unlike with other parties, in the JVP list party discipline prevents internal competition, while after the results are declared, it is those the party designates who actually get into Parliament.
An ideal system then would have about a hundred constituencies, instead of the current 160, with members who could devote themselves to the welfare of their constituents. They would be supplemented by a hundred others, chosen by parties from the lists they submit. ”