Legal Division could be introduces as one of the main areas within the scope of the Ministry of Provincial Councils and Local Government. Legal Division of the Ministry plays the key role in formulating legislation related to Local Governance as for today. The performance summary of Legal Division is undermentioned.
- Last year, this division involved in calling proposals to amend Municipal Councils Ordinance, Urban Councils Ordinance and Pradeshiya Sabha Act, preparing reports by appointing committees consists of appropriate and required members.
- Further, Legal Division is presently taking preliminary measures in formulating and giving legal certification for the laws related to empowering women representation within the Local Authorities and Provincial Councils. Legal Division has taken measures to get adopted the relevant legislation at the Parliament to increase the female representation in Local Authorities, submit the necessary bill to the Cabinet of Ministers to adopt a parliamentary Act certifying female representation within Provincial Councils, organize workshops on Women Empowerment in Politics jointly with the Sri Lanka Institute for Local Governance and initiated the inaugurating workshop from North Western Province in 2016 as initiatives to increase female representation in Local Authorities.
- This division played a key role in enactment of laws related to prevention of difficulties faced by general public due to stray dogs that is a law relevant to public health and environment. This division formulated a mechanism and appointed a regulatory committee in this regard.
- Quality local governance is a key function of this Ministry. Under this, legal Division compiled a code of conduct for the Members of Provincial Councils in 2016. Its English and Tamil translations have been completed by now and it would be referred to each provincial council after getting the approval of the cabinet of Ministers.
- Further, legal division is taking measures to make a special amendment to the Pradeshiya Sabha Act in order to provide welfare for the estate workers. The draft amendment has been referred to the Department of Legal Draftsman for the certification of legal draftsman
- Not receiving the court fines and stamp duty on transfer of lands to be levied to the Local Authorities is a long term problem faced by Local Authorities. Accordingly, this division submitted a Cabinet Memorandum in order to make laws to levy court fines and stamp duties to Local Authorities Immediately.
- The active participation of this division in recognition of appropriate criteria for the Constitution of Local Authorities and taking measures to introduce a more transparent and systematic way for constitution and upgradation of Local Authorities in 2016 was of much importance.
- This Ministry has observed that Urban Councils and Municipal Councils are not constituted systematically due to the absence of a methodology or policy regarding constitution of Local Authorities. Therefore, Hon. Minister of Provincial Councils and Local Government appointed a committee of expertise persons on 25.05.2016 in order to decide national criteria to constitute new Local Authorities and upgrade present Local Authorities.
Scope of the Committee
- To formulate a set of criteria in consideration of population, population density, Economic development level, income generation, administrative limits with geographical differences of administrative areas.
- To obtain views of general public, people’s representatives and other governmental and non - governmental organizations to create new Local Authorities upgrade existing Local Authorities.
That committee had number of meetings and paid its consideration to views received as per the newspaper advertisements published to obtain public views on the criteria to be considered and the matters included in the Presidential Investigation Commission report on Local Governance of 1999 and the following criteria was taken into consideration.
- Population and population density (for an area or 1km2 or less)
- Number of houses and their density
- Improvement of services and infrastructure (Water, roads, electricity, telephone, schools, hospitals and other government services)
- Number of available commercial buildings
- Percentage of population engaged in non-agricultural economic affairs.
- Economic structure and the division of resources in the area
- Regional importance (Historical / economic or other)
- Revenue division of the
A marking scheme and a weighting method was prepared to measure said criteria and necessary information is based on the statistics of the Department of Census and Statistics. This criteria base was prepared by 31/12/201 and Ministry of Provincial Councils and Local Government has taken a policy decision to constitute Local Authorities based on said criteria..
Provincial Councils Statute
- Statute Index of Western Provincial Council
[PDF - 290 KB] - Statute Index of North Western Provincial Council
[PDF - 266 KB] - Statute Index of Uva Provincial Council
[PDF - 260 KB] - Statute Index of Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council
[PDF - 201 KB] - Statute Index of Central Provincial Council
[PDF - 158 KB] - Statute Index of Eastern Provincial Council
[PDF - 154 KB] - Statute Index of Southern Provincial Council
[PDF - 201 KB] - Statute Index of North Central Provincial Council
[PDF - 335 KB] - Statute Index of Northern Provincial Council
[PDF - 00 KB]
Programme of Second National Action Plan of the Open Government Partnership (ORG) 2018/2020 , Commitment 08: Strengthen Committe system in pradeshiya Sabhas with Citizen Engagement
1st Worshop
| Date | - | 08th April 2019 |
| Venue | - | Ishara Reception Hall - Homagama |
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2nd Workshop
| Date | - | 07th June 2019 |
| Venue | - | Winro Reception Hall in Kannanthuduwa , Millaniya |
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3rd Workshop
| Date | - | 9th July 2019 |
| Venue | - | Madurawala Pradeshiya Sabha Reception Hall, Madurawala |
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4th Workshop
| Date | - | 30th July 2019 |
| Venue | - | Gampaha Pradeshiya Sabhawa, Gampaha |
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