UNP urged to immediately fill its solitary parliamentary seat

COLOMBO: The Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) writing to the United National Party( UNP) has underlined that the party has violated the people’s democratic rights by not appointing a member to its National List Seat in Parliament.

It has urged the UNP to immediately fill its solitary parliamentary seat that has been vacant for seven months since the general election.

CaFFE Executive Director Ahamad Makeen Manas writing to UNP General Secretary Palitha Range Bandara has asked the Party to respect the people’s democratic right of franchise.

It has pointed out that the Party’s internal disputes are no excuse for keeping its National List seat vacant, adding that the people who voted for that Party are not responsible for those internal issues.

The UNP polled 249,485 votes (2.15 per cent) at the general election held on Aug. 5, 2020.

None of its Members who contested in the polls was able to win a seat, but the party received a bonus seat for the overall percentage of votes it received.