In a true democracy, the selection of candidates and the election process should involve the entire population equally. Unfortunately, our current election rules allow only a select few to become candidates without requiring any public endorsement, such as a stepwise regional election process within the party. Our system favours existing politicians and makes it virtually impossible to register a political party to address specific issues.
It is a significant obstacle to a fair and inclusive democratic process. Despite the wishes expressed by the ordinary people during ‘Aragalaya 2022,’ we are left with mostly the same 225 candidates to choose from once again, a situation that should concern us all. The election process in Sri Lanka is inherently biased, designed by politicians to serve their own interests rather than those of the electorate.
The presidential election could be a straightforward meritocratic process, less costly and more transparent if the candidate with the most votes was declared the winner. However, the system is complicated by introducing a second count based on the 2nd and 3rd choices if no candidate secures more than 50% of valid votes in the first count. Since failing to achieve this majority is quite likely, the 2nd and 3rd choices become crucial.
It is essential that we, as ordinary voters, recognise this nuance and use the opportunity to achieve the best possible democratic outcome. Make your vote count and avoid it being discarded. Did you know .