General Right to Vote
Constitution:
(1978)
Section 3, subsection (e) states, "The franchise shall be exercisable
at the election of Members of Parliament, and of the members of Regional Councils,
and at every Referendum by every citizen who has attained the age of eighteen
years, and who, being qualified to be an elector as hereinafter provided, has
his name entered in the register of electors."
Specific Inclusion of
People with Disabilities
Disability Law:
(Act no. 28 of 1996: Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities)
Section 23, subsection (2) states: "No person with a disability
shall, on the ground of such disability, be subject to any liability, restriction
or condition with regard to access to, or use of, any building or place which
any other member of the public has access or is entitled to use, whether on
the payment of any fee or not."
Exclusion Based on Mental
Disability
Constitution:
(1978)
Article 89 states: "No person shall be qualified to be an elector
at an election of the President, or of the Members of Parliament or to vote
at any Referendum, if he is subject to any of the following disqualifications,
namely
(c) if he is under any law in force in Sri Lanka found or declared
to be of unsound mind
"
Article 91, subsection (1) states: "No person shall be qualified
to be elected as a Member of Parliament or to sit and vote in Parliament (a)
if he is or becomes subject to any of the disqualifications specified in article
89
"
Voter Assistance by Other
Citizens
Electoral Law:
(1981: Parliamentary Elections Act)
Section 40, subsection (2) states: "The presiding officer, on the
application of any voter who is incapacitated by blindness or other physical
cause from voting in accordance with the directions given for the guidance of
voters in the Third Schedule to this Act shall, in the presence of another member
of his polling staff, mark the ballot paper of such voter in the manner directed
by the voter and shall cause such ballot paper to be placed in the ballot box."
Promotes Access
Poll Worker Manuals:
Presidential Elections Act, No. 15 of 1981
Permission by authority that a person with physical disability may convey
himself in any way possible to polling station p 49