The Election Commission (EC) is awaiting a response to their letter sent to the Constitutional Council (CC) requesting the appointment of a suitable person to its (the EC’s) vacant member position.

Opposition Parliamentarian Prof. G.L. Peiris recently said that he doubted whether the Government was not appointing a suitable person for the current vacancy in the EC as part of an effort to avoid holding the Presidential and Parliamentary Elections next year (2024).

When contacted by The Daily Morning, EC Chairman R.M.A.L. Rathnayake said: “What is better for any commission is to have its total number of members. Similarly, it is better if all the members are appointed to the EC too. We have also written to the CC, requesting them to intervene in the matter and fill the existing vacancy, but we have not been responded to yet.”

He also said that there is no significant barrier for the EC to carry out its duties and responsibilities due to the prevailing vacancy, but that certain issues may arise in case two or more members disagree on a particular decision. “According to the Constitution, the EC can fulfil its duties even if there is a lack of a member. The quorum is three, and currently, it has four members. Therefore, there is no issue, but if two or more members disagree on a particular matter, an issue may arise.”

CC Chairman and Parliamentary Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana was not available for comment. 

The current EC consists of its Chairman Rathnayake, and three other members, M.A.P.C. Perera, Ameer Faaiz, and Anusuya Shanmuganathan.