The female councillors selected to local government bodies under the 25-percent mandatory women’s representation law, should not be set aside as ornaments, Election Commission Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya said on Tuesday.
Deshapriya was addressing a press briefing on the Provincial Council Election, which was held at the Election Commission premises. Deshapriya, commenting on the 25-percent female representation, said that the female councillors should not be kept unoccupied:
“We should realise the real reasons as to why such a mandatory female representatation was pressed for,” he said, “Programmes should be launched targetting these female councilors.”
“Certain individuals inquired from me as to why such a law on female representation was brought forth,” Deshapriya said. According to him, the newly-elected female representatives should not allow any room for such questions.
Deshapriya also said that there was a lack of female representation in political parties and in active organisations such as the Government Medical Officers’ Association, Bar Association, Sri Lanka Engineers’ Association and Inter-University Students’ Federation.
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