Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Parliamentarian Mujibur Rahman has urged the government to expedite the long-delayed Provincial Council elections, arguing that the polls would provide an important opportunity to gauge public sentiment and assess the government’s performance.
Speaking to the media, Rahman said recent opinion survey figures indicate a decline in public approval of the government. Referring to a reported approval rating of around 38 percent, he argued that the administration should face the electorate now rather than risk a further decline in support.
“We are telling the government to hold the election now, before your approval ratings drop even further,” Rahman said.
The SJB MP stressed that his party’s demand for Provincial Council elections had remained consistent regardless of whether government popularity was rising or falling.
According to Rahman, Provincial Council elections traditionally provide governments with an opportunity to assess public sentiment during their term in office. He said previous administrations had used elections held after parliamentary polls as a means of understanding the electorate’s changing priorities and identifying weaknesses in government policy.
With the next Presidential election still some distance away, Rahman described Provincial Council elections as a political “check-up” that could allow the government to determine whether its policies are receiving public support.
Rahman also rejected suggestions that his call for an early election reflected sympathy toward the government. Instead, he said his position was based on political reality, arguing that if the government believes it can win, it should have no reason to postpone the polls.
He warned that continued delays could potentially expose the government to greater political difficulties if its popularity declines further.
The MP further called on the government to make the necessary legislative changes to facilitate the elections, arguing that an amendment to the existing electoral framework would enable the process to move forward.
The Election Commission has previously indicated that Parliament must amend the legal framework governing Provincial Council elections before the long-delayed polls can be conducted.
Rahman, who represents the SJB in Parliament, is a Colombo District MP and has previously served on the Western Provincial Council. Parliament records confirm his current affiliation with the SJB and his previous service in the provincial council.
The call adds to growing political pressure for the government to resolve the legal and administrative obstacles surrounding the Provincial Council elections.
