Batticaloa Municipal Council

Last updated

Batticaloa Municipal Council
Batticaloa Municipal Council Logo.png
Type
Type
Leadership
Saravanabawan Thiyagarajah, ITAK
Municipal Commissioner
K. Sithiravel (SLAS)
Municipal Deputy Commissioner
U. Sivarajah (SLAS-III)
Seats38
Elections
Last election
 10 February 2018
Next election
 9 March 2023

Batticaloa Municipal Council (BMC) is the local authority for the city of Batticaloa in eastern Sri Lanka. [1] BMC is responsible for providing a variety of local public services including roads, sanitation, drains, housing, libraries, public parks and recreational facilities. It has 19 members elected using the open list proportional representation system. The territory of BMC is commensurate with that of Manmunai North Divisional Secretariat. [2]

Contents

History

Batticaloa was administered by a local board between 1884 and 1932. [3] The city was promoted to an Urban Council with eight wards in 1933. [3] The number of wards was increased to 10 in 1944. In 1956 the territory of the council was increased as well as the number of wards to 14. The council was merged with Manmunai North – East (Northern Portion) Village Council in 1967 and promoted to a Municipal Council. [3] BMC had 19 wards. The first mayor of BMC was Chelliah Rajadurai, the local Member of Parliament.

The council was dissolved in 1974 and administered by special commissioners until 1983 when local elections were held. [3] All members of the council resigned shortly after the election. Batticaloa was once again administered by special commissioners, this time until 1994 when local elections were held. [3] In 1988 BMC absorbed Valaieravu Rural Council. The council was dissolved on 31 March 1999. Special commissioners administered the city until 2008 when elections were held.

Mayors

The Mayor of Batticaloa is the head of Batticaloa Municipal Council. [3]

Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners and secretaries

The following were some of the city's commissioners and secretaries: [3]

Secretaries

Commissioners

Deputy Commissioners

Municipal Secretaries

1983 local government election

Results of the local government election held on 18 May 1983: [4]

Alliances and partiesVotes%Seats
  Tamil United Liberation Front 10,99362.75%13
  United National Party 6,22935.55%6
Independent 2981.70%0
Valid Votes17,520100.00%19
Rejected Votes62
Total Polled17,582
Registered Electors22,894
Turnout76.80%

All members of the council resigned one month after being sworn in. [3] Batticaloa didn't have an elected local government for sporadic periods, this was due to various reasons. [5] Aljazeera, the Asiafoundation and the Daily Mirror attribute this to civil war; [6] [7] Reuters and the US State Department attribute this to calls for election boycotts by the LTTE (enforced with brutal reprisals for non-compliance) [8] [9] and the Tamilnet attribute it to The Sri Lankan government's suspension of all local government in the north and east of the country in 1983 using Emergency Regulations. [10] Batticaloa was administered by special commissioners until 1994 when local elections were held. [3] The council was dissolved on 31 March 1999. Special commissioners administered the city until the 2008 elections.

2008 local government election

Results of the local government election held on 10 March 2008: [11]

Alliances and partiesVotes%Seats
  United People's Freedom Alliance (TMVP et al.)14,15853.77%11
Independent 1 (EPDP, EPRLF (P), PLOTE)9,60136.46%6
  Sri Lanka Muslim Congress 1,7886.79%1
  Eelavar Democratic Front (EROS)4271.62%1
National Development Front2911.11%0
Independent 3 430.16%0
Independent 2 230.09%0
Valid Votes26,331100.00%19
Rejected Votes2,822
Total Polled29,153
Registered Electors54,948
Turnout53.06%

The following candidates were elected: [12] Sivageetha "Pathmini" Prabhakaran (UPFA-TMVP), 4,722 preference votes (pv); Sellappillai "Chelliah" Aseerwatham (Ind 1), 949 pv; Kandiah Arumailingam (Ind 1-EPDP); Edwin Silva Krishnanandaraja alias Piratheep Master (UPFA-TMVP), 3,805 pv; John Baptist Fernando (UPFA); Abiragam George Pillai (UPFA); Namasivayam Karunanantham (UPFA); Thambiaiah Kirubarajah (UPFA); Maylvakanam Niskanandararajah (Ind 1); Rajanathan Prabhakaran (EROS); Wellington Rajendra Prasad (UPFA); Kanagasabai Preman (UPFA); Nagoor Khan Ramlan (SLMC); Pragasam Sagayamany alias Killi Master (UPFA-TMVP); Devanayagam Weerasingam Sathyananthan (UPFA); Mahendiramoorthy Suthenthiran (Ind 1); Kandasamy Thavarasa (UPFA); Benadit Thanabalasingam (Ind 1); and R. Thurairatnam (Ind 1-EPRLF).

Sivageetha Prabhakaran (UPFA-TMVP) and Edwin Silva Krishnanandaraja (UPFA-TMVP) were appointed Mayor and Deputy Mayor respectively. [13]

Edwin Silva Krishnanandaraja of UPFA-TMVP resigned as a member of BMC and was replaced by Selvarasa Sasikumar. [14] He was replaced as Deputy Mayor by Abiragam George Pillai (UPFA). [15]

R. Thurairatnam (Ind 1-EPRLF) resigned to contest the Eastern provincial council elections. He was replaced by Kandasamy Mahenthiraraja (Ind 1). [16]

Related Research Articles

Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP), previously known as the "Karuna Group", is a political party in Sri Lanka. It was formed by Karuna Amman, a former leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, after he defected from the organization in 2004. Initially a paramilitary group that helped the Sri Lankan Government fight the Tamil Tigers, the TMVP was registered as a political party in 2007. Under deputy leader Pillayan, they contested their first provincial elections in 2008, winning a majority in the Eastern Provincial Council. Members of the TMVP continue to carry arms under the auspices of the Sri Lankan government, which they claim is for their own safety from the Tamil Tigers, who carry out repeated attacks against them. The group is believed to be working with the Sri Lankan Army. They have been accused of human rights violation by local and international human rights organization.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2008 Sri Lanka Eastern Provincial Council election</span>

The Sri Lanka Eastern Provincial Council elections, 2008 was held on May 10, 2008 to elect members to Sri Lanka’s Eastern Provincial Council. Following the successful completion of local government elections in the Batticaloa District, Sri Lanka’s Elections Department announced on March 14 that the elections for the Eastern Provincial Council were to be held in May, after a lapse of 20 years. It was only the second time direct elections are held to select members for the council, and first time for the Eastern Provincial Council alone, after it was separated from the North-Eastern Provincial Council in 2006.

Batticaloa Electoral District is one of the 22 multi-member electoral districts of Sri Lanka created by the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka. The district is conterminous with the administrative district of Batticaloa in the Eastern province. The district currently elects 5 of the 225 members of the Sri Lankan Parliament and had 344,750 registered electors in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jaffna Municipal Council</span>

Jaffna Municipal Council is the local authority for the city of Jaffna in northern Sri Lanka. JMC is responsible for providing a variety of local public services including roads, sanitation, drains, housing, libraries, public parks and recreational facilities. Established in January 1949 as a successor to Jaffna Urban Council, it currently has 45 members elected using the mixed electoral system.

Trincomalee Urban Council (TUC) is the local authority for the city of Trincomalee in eastern Sri Lanka. TUC is responsible for providing a variety of local public services including roads, sanitation, drains, housing, libraries, public parks and recreational facilities. It has 12 members elected using the open list proportional representation system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Valvettithurai Urban Council</span> Local authority

Valvettithurai Urban Council is the local authority for the town of Valvettithurai in northern Sri Lanka. VUC is responsible for providing a variety of local public services including roads, sanitation, drains, housing, libraries, public parks and recreational facilities. It has 9 members elected using the open list proportional representation system.

Mannar Urban Council is the local authority for the town of Mannar in north-western Sri Lanka. MUC is responsible for providing a variety of local public services including roads, sanitation, drains, housing, libraries, public parks and recreational facilities. It has 7 members elected using the open list proportional representation system.

Ampara Urban Council (AUC) is the local authority for the town of Ampara in eastern Sri Lanka. AUC is responsible for providing a variety of local public services including roads, sanitation, drains, housing, libraries, public parks and recreational facilities. It has 9 members elected using the open list proportional representation system.

Eravur Urban Council (EUC) is the local authority for the town of Eravur in eastern Sri Lanka. EUC is responsible for providing a variety of local public services including roads, sanitation, drains, housing, libraries, public parks and recreational facilities. It has 9 members elected using the open list proportional representation system.

Kattankudy Urban Council (KUC) is the local authority for the town of Kattankudy in eastern Sri Lanka. KUC is responsible for providing a variety of local public services including roads, sanitation, drains, housing, libraries, public parks and recreational facilities. It has 9 members elected using the open list proportional representation system.

Karainagar Divisional Council is the local authority for Karainagar DS Division in northern Sri Lanka. KDC is responsible for providing a variety of local public services including roads, sanitation, drains, housing, libraries, public parks and recreational facilities. It has 5 members elected using the open list proportional representation system. KDC is sometimes called Karativu Divisional Council.

Kayts Divisional Council is the local authority for Island North DS Division in northern Sri Lanka. KDC is responsible for providing a variety of local public services including roads, sanitation, drains, housing, libraries, public parks and recreational facilities. It has 5 members elected using the open list proportional representation system. KDC is sometimes called Island North Divisional Council.

Nallur Divisional Council is the local authority for Nallur DS Division in northern Sri Lanka, except for 19 GN Divisions which are part of Jaffna Municipal Council. NDC is responsible for providing a variety of local public services including roads, sanitation, drains, housing, libraries, public parks and recreational facilities. It has 12 members elected using the open list proportional representation system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Point Pedro Divisional Council</span>

Point Pedro Divisional Council is the local authority for Vadamarachchi East and Vadamarachchi North DS Divisions in northern Sri Lanka, except for the towns of Point Pedro and Valvettithurai which have their own local authorities. PPDC is responsible for providing a variety of local public services including roads, sanitation, drains, housing, libraries, public parks and recreational facilities. It has 9 members elected using the open list proportional representation system. PPDC is sometimes called Vadamarachchi North Divisional Council.

Valikamam East Divisional Council is the local authority for Valikamam East DS Division in northern Sri Lanka. VEDC is responsible for providing a variety of local public services including roads, sanitation, drains, housing, libraries, public parks and recreational facilities. It has 21 members elected using the open list proportional representation system.

Valikamam North Divisional Council is the local authority for Valikamam North DS Division in northern Sri Lanka. VNDC is responsible for providing a variety of local public services including roads, sanitation, drains, housing, libraries, public parks and recreational facilities. It has 21 members elected using the open list proportional representation system.

Valikamam South Divisional Council is the local authority for Valikamam South DS Division in northern Sri Lanka. VSDC is responsible for providing a variety of local public services including roads, sanitation, drains, housing, libraries, public parks and recreational facilities. It has 16 members elected using the open list proportional representation system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Velanai Divisional Council</span>

Velanai Divisional Council is the local authority for Island South DS Division in northern Sri Lanka. VDC is responsible for providing a variety of local public services including roads, sanitation, drains, housing, libraries, public parks and recreational facilities. It has 11 members elected using the open list proportional representation system. VDC is sometimes called Island South Divisional Council.

Vavuniya South Sinhala Divisional Council is the local authority for Vavuniya South DS Division in northern Sri Lanka. VSSDC is responsible for providing a variety of local public services including roads, sanitation, drains, housing, libraries, public parks and recreational facilities. It has 9 members elected using the open list proportional representation system. VSSDC is sometimes called Vavuniya South Divisional Council.

Rasiah Thurairatnam is a Sri Lankan Tamil politician and provincial councillor.

References

  1. ↑ "Batticaloa Municipal Council". Government of Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 3 April 2011.
  2. ↑ "Geography". Batticaloa Municipal Council. Archived from the original on 5 September 2011. Retrieved 2 April 2011.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "History of Municipal Council". Batticaloa Municipal Council. Archived from the original on 27 July 2013.
  4. ↑ Sarveswaran, K. (2005). The Tamil United Liberation Front: Rise and Decline of a Moderate Ethnic Party in Sri Lanka (1976–2000). Jawaharal Nehru University.
  5. ↑ Lanka cannot afford to despise UN system
  6. ↑ In Northern Sri Lanka, Local Governments Prepare for Post-War Development
  7. ↑ Sri Lankans vote in local elections
  8. ↑ "Sri Lanka's war-weary north votes amid intimidation, mistrust". Archived from the original on 9 September 2012. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  9. ↑ US State Department
  10. ↑ "TNA urges PM to put off NE local polls". TamilNet. 11 September 2002. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
  11. ↑ "Local Authorities Election 2008 Final Results Batticaloa Municipal Council". Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 17 June 2010. Retrieved 2 April 2011.
  12. ↑ "PART IV (B) – LOCAL GOVERNMENT Notices under the Local Authorities Elections Ordinance THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES ELECTIONS ORDINANCE (CHAPTER 262)" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. 1541/8. 18 March 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 September 2008.
  13. ↑ "UPFA-TMVP councilors take oath in Colombo". TamilNet . 18 March 2008.
  14. ↑ "PART IV (B) – LOCAL GOVERNMENT Notices under the Local Authorities Elections Ordinance FILLING OF A VACANCY IN THE OFFICE OF A MEMBER OF THE BATTICALOA MUNICIPAL COUNCIL UNDER SECTION 65A(2) OF THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES ELECTIONS ORDINANCE(CHAPTER 262)" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. 1557/28. 11 July 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 October 2011. Retrieved 2 April 2011.
  15. ↑ "PART IV (B) – LOCAL GOVERNMENT Notices under the Local Authorities Elections Ordinance FILLING OF A VACANCY IN THE OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY MAYOR OF THE BATTICALOA MUNICIPAL COUNCIL UNDER SECTION 65A(1) OF THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES ELECTIONS ORDINANCE (CHAPTER 262)" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. 1557/28. 11 July 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 October 2011. Retrieved 2 April 2011.
  16. ↑ "PART IV (B) – LOCAL GOVERNMENT Notices under the Local Authorities Elections Ordinance FILLING OF A VACANCY IN THE OFFICE OF A MEMBER OF THE BATTICALOA MUNICIPAL COUNCIL UNDER SECTION 65A(2) OF THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES ELECTIONS ORDINANCE(CHAPTER 262)" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. 1557/28. 24 October 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 October 2011. Retrieved 2 April 2011.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.