Sri Lanka initiates steps to grant voting rights to overseas citizens

Representative image

The Sri Lankan government has decided to initiate steps to grant voting rights to citizens domiciled overseas.

The Cabinet in a meeting on Monday gave its nod to relevant ministries to study necessary amendments to existing election laws and propose new legislation to facilitate the process, officials said.

A committee comprising representatives of the Elections Commission will also be set up to examine the modalities.

The proposed legislation is expected to allow them to vote from their overseas locations, officials said.

Under current laws, only residents whose names appear on the electoral register are allowed to cast their votes, while Sri Lankans living abroad are barred from registering as voters.