Parliament

NIC Bill: Smooth sailing after choppy seas
By Chandani Kirinde, Our Lobby Correspondent
The Government and Opposition finally showed they could work together by agreeing to pass the Elections (Special Provisions) Bill which would make identity cards compulsory for voters at all future elections. But the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) decided to abstain from the vote after protesting against a last minute alteration to an amendment made to the Bill which had been agreed to earlier by the Government.

The Bill, that was dogged by controversy from its inception was passed with several amendments including provision for it to be operative at the end of one year after its certification by the Speaker as an Act of Parliament as well as guarantees that the majority of eligible voters would be issued national IDs before the law comes into operation.

The certification that the necessary IDs have been issued will be made by the Elections Commission after giving due consideration to the views of the representatives of political parties represented in Parliament according to the amendments included in the Bill.

Justice Minister John Seneviratne who wound up the three-day debate on the Bill called it a "progressive measure", one that has been advocated since 1959, but not implemented.

He said the Bill had generated much interest among the people and hoped it would be an impetus for them to obtain their NIC's in the coming months. The Government will spend upto Rs. 340 million to provide the necessary facilities for the issue of the new IDs including about 150 computers and a new building to house them, Buddha Sasana Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake said. This money will be allocated to the Registration of Persons Department in the forthcoming Budget.

Although every party agreed to the need to have such a law in place, so as to prevent impersonation at elections and eliminate persons being registered as electors on more than one occasion, there was criticism from the Opposition for the haste in bringing the Bill to Parliament.

In spite of their decision to support the Bill, most Opposition speakers questioned the Government's real motive for introducing this Bill now, but the only answer they got was that it was to further strengthen democracy. Another Government reasoning was that the introduction of IDs was recommended in the interim report of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Electoral reforms.

This report which was released in January, in addition to recommending the introduction of ID cards at polls, also recommended the introduction of an electronic voting system and the setting up of a standing committee of Parliament on Franchise and Elections.

UNP's G.L.Peries argued the Opposition's case for the postponement in the implementation of the Bill by a year, stating that trying to implement the legislation before ID cards are issued would result in about 30 per cent of the people being effectively disenfranchised. Mr. Peries said that of Jaffna district's 644,279 registered voters, not one had been issued ID cards and if the law was to come into effect immediately, nobody in the district would be entitled to vote.

There was a similar situation in other areas of the country where many people did not have ID cards, he said, adding, "every single vote is of inestimable value in a vibrant and functioning democracy."

However, the TNA and those representing estate workers were sceptical of the government's assurance that IDs would be issued to all within one year given the practical difficulties that could crop up.

A number of UNP members called for the appointment of members to the Elections Commission, which has been delayed for several years, as there has been no consensus on who should be appointed.

However, government members asked the Opposition not to tie up the ID card issue to the Elections Commission with UPFA's Wimal Weerawansa stating that it was essential that suitable people were appointed to the Commission.

He cited the example of the Police Commission, which since it was constituted has been faced with allegations of improper practices. He also said most of the members were too old to be holding the positions.

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