Rethinking Majority Rule: The Urgent Need to Revise Sri Lanka's Presidential Elections Act
The flaw in Preference voting electing an Executive President The Problem Laws must be clear and free from ambiguities, yet the Presidential Elections Act (No. 15 of 1981) of Sri Lanka falls short of this standard. This article highlights a significant flaw in the Act concerning the preference voting system used in presidential elections. Under the current law, preferences are disregarded if a candidate secures over 50% of valid votes, a situation that has been common since the Act's implementation. However, the political landscape in Sri Lanka has shifted dramatically in the past three years, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the country's economic downturn. It is now increasingly unlikely for any candidate to achieve such a majority. This brings to light a critical issue: when preferences are counted due to no candidate reaching the 50% threshold, the eventual winner may not represent the majority's mandate. This flaw underscores the need for a thorough review ...
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