36. Is the provision of direct public funding to political parties tied to gender equality among candidates?

Source:

Section 7, Parliamentary Elections Act No. 1 of 1981

7. Recognised political parties for the purpose of elections.
(4) (d) In order to guarantee better representation of women in political parties and in politics, every recognised political party shall ensure the inclusion of one or more women office bearers in the list of office bearers of such party.

 https://www.srilankalaw.lk/revised-statutes/alphabetical-list-of-statutes/862-parliamentary-elections-act.html

Source: 

Election Commission of Sri Lanka website

What are the documents to be submitted with the applications?
1. Copy of the constitution of the party.
2. The list of office-bearers of the party (at least one female office-bearer should be included).
3. Statements of audited accounts of the party.
4. The current policy declaration of the party.
5. All documents and reports to prove that the party has been politically active continuously.

https://elections.gov.lk/en/political_party/political_party_how_register_party_E.html

However, Parliamentary Elections Act of Sri Lanka provides that recognised political parties, under certain conditions, receive direct public funding for election campaigns.  When describing recongnised political parties, the Act states that the recognised political parties shall ensure to include one or more more women office bearers in the list of office bearers of such party. Providing details of how a political party is registered, Election Commission of Sri Lanka, states on their website that an application to register a political party should accompany a list of office-bearers of the party where at least one female office bearer should be included. As such, a group cannot become a recongnised political party that has access to direct public funding during an election, without having at least one female office-bearer. However, it does not say how this applies to existing recognised parties and direct public funding to them during an election.