Modi presses Sri Lanka on delayed PC elections

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reportedly urged the Sri Lankan government to expedite long-delayed Provincial Council elections, adding diplomatic weight to a growing chorus of domestic and international voices demanding swift action.

Political sources familiar with the development say New Delhi has expressed concern over the continued postponement of elections, which are a cornerstone of Sri Lanka’s devolution framework under the 13th Amendment, a provision historically linked to India’s role in the Indo-Lanka Accord of 1987.

India’s renewed interest, observers note, is closely tied to its longstanding advocacy for the political rights of the Tamil minority, particularly in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. 

The delay in restoring elected provincial bodies has increasingly strained Colombo’s credibility on matters of democratic governance and minority representation.

The push from India comes as opposition parties within Sri Lanka prepare to launch public agitation campaigns over the government’s failure to announce a timeline for the polls. 

Several political alliances have indicated they are willing to take their campaigns to the streets, amid signs that their message is gaining traction.
There are also reports of international support being extended to these initiatives, signalling a shift in what was once viewed as a purely domestic issue to one now under international scrutiny.

While the Sri Lankan government has not publicly responded to Modi’s reported intervention, the development could complicate its diplomatic balancing act. 

Analysts suggest the country risks appearing indifferent to both domestic democratic commitments and regional diplomatic expectations if it fails to act decisively.

Sri Lanka has not held Provincial Council elections since 2018. Successive governments have cited legal ambiguities and the need for electoral reforms as reasons for the delay.

Meanwhile, Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam presented a Private Member’s Bill to amend the Provincial Councils Elections Act, No 2 of 1988 in Parliament on June 05.

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Mohamed Nizam Kariapper seconded the Bill.

The Bill to amend the Provincial Councils Elections Act, No 2 of 1988 which was presented by MP Rasamanickam is aimed at holding the Provincial Councils elections as per the Constitution.