Policy and Governance Forum 2025

On February 19, 2025, the University of Colombo, in collaboration with IFES, successfully hosted the first session of the Policy and Governance Forum. The discussion focused on “Local Government Authority (LGA) Elections and Electoral Reforms.”

The event brought together 25 participants, including officials from the Election Commission, academics, and civil society representatives. Together, they identified and listed priority actions, reforms, timeframes, necessary elements to be focused on, and responsible parties. Key Priorities Proposed:

– Advanced Voting System (Long-Term)
– Campaign Finance Reform
– Independence of the Election Commission of Sri Lanka (ECSL)
– Representation of Marginalized Groups
– Strengthening Inner-Party Democracies
– Establishment of an Election Calendar
– Expansion and Diversification of Voter and Civic Education Programs
– Preventing Hate Speech and Misinformation, and Developing Cybersecurity Measures.