As the Sri Lanka Government led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa gears up for major change in the electoral system, the Tamil National Party , which won majority of Parliamentary seats in the Northern and Eastern Provinces, has opposed the move on the ground that it would adversely impact on the interests of the minorities. Under the provisions of the proposed legislation, known as the Local Government Electoral Reforms Bill, 30 percent of members are elected under the Proportional Representation system and the rest under the First Past-the Post system. The existing electoral system in the island nation is based on proportional representation. Rajapaksa Government intends to change the system with the island elections to local bodies scheduled early next year and implement it for the provincial and parliamentary elections.AIR correspondent reports, after the 18th Amendment to the Sri Lankan Constitution which removed the two term limit on the Sri Lankan President, the Rajapaksa government is now in the process of bringing about yet another change by introducing the First past the post system together with proportional representation.Under the provisions of the proposed legislation, known as the Local Government Electoral Reforms Bill, 30 percent of members are elected under the Proportional Representation system and the rest under the First Past-the Post system.The existing electoral system in the island nation is based on proportional representation.The Tamil National Party (TNA) which won majority of Parliamentary seats in the Northern and Eastern Provinces, has opposed the move on the ground that it would adversely impact on the interests of the minorities.Under the Constitution, electoral reforms would have to be ratified by the provincial councils. Since the coalition headed by Mr. Rajapaksa has majority in all the eight existing provincial councils, passage of the bill is almost assured.On Tuesday the Local Government Electoral Reforms Bill was passed in the North Western, Eastern and Southern Provincial Councils amidst allegations of discrepancies in the Sinhala and Tamil versions of the bill.The Eastern Province Chief minister Pillyan said that ‘We will pass the bill even though we do not support the bill as we have to work with the Central Government in the future.’