Sri Lanka eyes voting rights for citizens abroad

The proposed committee will include representatives from the Election Commission, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministries of Foreign Employment and Tourism, and Public Administration, along with other relevant institutions.

Currently, under Sri Lanka’s election laws, only citizens residing within the country and registered on the electoral roll are eligible to vote. There is no existing legal framework allowing Sri Lankans overseas to cast their votes.

However, constitutional provisions—particularly Article 3—affirm that sovereignty lies with the people and is exercised through elections, as outlined in Article 4. In light of this, the government has acknowledged the need for reform to ensure electoral participation for all citizens, including those living abroad.

The move follows examples set by countries like India, Bangladesh, and the Philippines, which have introduced legal mechanisms enabling their overseas citizens to vote. The Sri Lankan government considers similar reforms a timely and necessary step to ensure equal voting rights for all nationals, regardless of residency.