The Constitutional provisions under Articles 3 and 4 of Sri Lanka's Constitution guarantee voting rights to all citizens over the age of 18 years.
As a signatory to a number of UN Conventions including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the International Covenant on Civic and Political Rights, Sri Lanka has accepted voting rights as a basic human right, and the will of the people to be expressed through periodic elections by secret ballot or by equivalent free voting procedures.
The 1990 International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of all Migrant Workers and Members of their Families, which was ratified by Sri Lanka in 1996 provides:
"Migrant workers and members of their families shall have the right to participate in public affairs of their State of origin and to vote and to be elected at elections of that state, in accordance with its legislation."
"The State concerned shall, as appropriate and in accordance with their legislation, facilitate the exercise of these rights."
"Each State Party undertakes to adopt the legislative and other measures that are
necessary to implement the provisions of the present Convention" (Article 41)