The Cabinet has approved the appointment of a committee, comprising officials from several ministries, to draft legal amendments that would enable Sri Lankan citizens living abroad to vote.

Currently, under the five existing election systems, there is no legal framework or procedure in place for Sri Lankan citizens residing overseas to cast their votes. The government’s attention has been drawn to the fact that many Asian countries, such as India, Bangladesh, and the Philippines, have established legal frameworks to allow their expatriate citizens to vote.