Yet in Sri Lanka, accountability largely ends once officials assume office. Citizens currently have limited legal avenues to remove representatives who fail to serve public interests, highlighting the urgent need for recall voting provisions that allow voters to remove officials before their term ends.
The aftermath of Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s presidency illustrates this need vividly. During the 2022 economic and political crisis, citizens had no legal means to remove parliament members complicit in policies that contributed to economic collapse. Experts argue that had recall mechanisms existed, voters could have exercised their rights through lawful channels rather than resorting to civil unrest. A proper recall system would make elected officials more responsive, knowing that citizens can hold them accountable at any time.
Current legal framework
Under existing law, Sri Lankan voters cannot initiate the recall of MPs, provincial councilors, or local authority representatives during their term. Removal of elected officials is limited to scenarios involving serious misconduct, such as imprisonment or suspension from parliament for a significant number of sitting days, which may trigger a by-election in specific circumstances. Civil society activists argue that this framework leaves voters without meaningful oversight tools. “The current system gives the electorate a voice only once every few years,” according to the Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV).
The role of the Election Commission
According to the Election Commission (EC), future reforms to electoral laws must include provisions for the public to recall representatives that they have elected if these representatives fail to fulfill their duties.
Former Commissioner General of Elections, Saman Sri Rathnayake, said such powers should be incorporated into the country's laws, as they are directly linked to the civic rights of the people. "As citizens, we have the right to hold our representatives accountable. However, our people often don’t practice this right, and there is currently no system in place for recalling them. Therefore, laws need to be amended in future reforms."
He also highlighted the importance of promoting civic education to address issues within the governance system and to empower citizens to exercise their rights. "The EC has the authority and ability to engage in voter education, but civic education, which is crucial, should originate from educational institutions," he stated.
Rathnayake further emphasized the introduction of new technology to Local Government Authorities to enhance efficiency. "With technological advancement, many activities have become easier with new tools that help meet the basic needs of the people. One major problem that we face is the lack of required data for decision-making. Therefore, implementing these tools and systems would strengthen our data systems. We have already begun such programmes with Provincial Councils," he said.
Civil society advocacy and proposals
The concept of the “Right to Recall” (RTR) has been actively discussed as a future reform. Organizations such as the March 12 Movement and the Transparency for Democracy Forum have long campaigned for RTR to enhance accountability, reduce corruption, and empower voters. Legal experts note that implementing a general recall system faces challenges under the proportional representation electoral system, but proposals suggest requiring 25% of registered voters’ signatures in a district to trigger a recall election.
A legislative initiative in late 2024, the “Recall of Nominations” Bill, received Cabinet approval. It allowed the cancellation of previous nominations for the long-delayed 2023 Local Government elections and the calling of fresh nominations, particularly to ensure fair representation for youth candidates. However, experts emphasize that this bill does not empower voters to remove sitting officials; it is limited to resetting the election process.
Global models and lessons
Several countries provide lessons for Sri Lanka. In Latvia and Germany, citizens can trigger the recall of entire legislatures but not individual representatives. Ecuador allows citizens to revoke mandates mid-term, with thresholds of 10% of registered voters for officials and 15% for the president. The UK permits recall of MPs under specific circumstances, such as criminal conviction or suspension, requiring 10% of voters to sign a recall petition for a by-election. Peru allows municipal officials to be recalled and has one of the highest numbers of successful recalls in the world.
These international experiences illustrate that recall mechanisms can be tailored to different electoral systems, providing practical frameworks for ensuring accountability while avoiding disruption to governance.
Proposed system for Sri Lanka
Experts and political analysts suggest a three-stage recall process under Sri Lanka’s proportional representation system: first, submit a petition with signatures from a required proportion of district voters; second, conduct a recall election; and third, if the incumbent is removed, appoint the next-highest vote recipient from the original election to the legislature. This approach would make recall feasible without the logistical challenges of repeated by-elections and could apply to parliament, provincial councils, and local authorities.
The ongoing discussions around the 21st Amendment to the Constitution could provide a legislative pathway to enshrine recall provisions. Incorporating RTR into the constitution would transform citizen participation in Sri Lanka, ensuring accountability is a continuous process rather than a once-every-five-year event.
When Zira Daily contacted, the Deputy Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government Ruwan Senarath acknowledged the need for such systems to reduce corruption and empower voters.
He said that while he personally supports the introduction of these mechanisms, immediate implementation is unlikely as the government is currently focused on strengthening existing electoral processes and preparing to hold Provincial Council Elections within the first six months of 2026. He added that there may be a better opportunity to discuss the proposal more broadly by next year.
Many people feel that elected officials should not be able to ignore their responsibilities once they are in office, and experts agree that recall systems could help prevent misuse of power and improve trust in the political process. Although the government is not ready to introduce such reforms immediately, the idea is gaining attention and may become a key part of future political changes. In the months ahead, Sri Lanka will have to decide how it wants to shape its democracy—and whether giving citizens the power to recall their representatives is part of that future.
