Galle Municipal Council

Galle Municipal Council
Type
Type	Local authority
Leadership
Mayor	Halvitigala Ihala Gamage Sunil,(NPP) [1]
Deputy Mayor	Priyantha Sahabandhu,(Independents) [2]
Structure
Seats	36
Political groups	Government   NPP (17) Opposition   SJB (9)   UNP (5)   SLPP (3)   UPA (2)
Elections
Voting system	Open list proportional representation
Last election	6 May 2025
Next election	TBD
Website
https://galle.mc.gov.lk/

The Galle Municipal Council is the local council for Galle, the capital city of Southern Province of Sri Lanka, ^[3] the third level administrative division of the country. The council was established under the Municipalities Ordinance of 1865 as the third municipal council of Sri Lanka. Wijeyananda Dahanayake was the first elected mayor of the city, who was appointed in 1939. He later went on to become the fifth Prime Minister of Ceylon. The current mayor of Galle is Priyantha Godagama Sahabandu.

Geography

The Galle Four Gravets is 18.7 km² (7.2 sq mi) in area. The average elevation above sea level is 15 m (49 ft).

Administrative units

Galle Municipal Council is divided into 50 Grama Niladhari Divisions (GN Divisions), with seven villages.^{[ specify ]}

Population

The current population of Galle Four Gravets area, according to 2011 Census, is 101,159, a decline from the population of 103,246 in 2001.

Ethnicity in Galle (2011)
Population			Percent
Sinhalese			67.0%
Muslims			32.3%
Tamils			0.8%
Others			0.13%

Ethnicity	Population [4]	% Of Total
Sinhalese	67,470	67.0
Sri Lankan Moors	32,711	32.3
Sri Lankan Tamils	709	0.7
Indian Tamils	129	0.8
Other (including Burgher, Malay)	140	0.13
Total	101,159	100

Mayor

Main article: List of Mayors of Galle

The Mayor of Galle is the head of Galle Municipal Council and his office is located at the Galle Town Hall. The current mayor is Priyantha Godagama Sahabandu , who was elected into office, subsequent to the 2018 Sri Lankan local elections, in a secret ballot held on 23 March 2018. Sahabandu was elected to the position of mayor obtaining 20 votes to 11 over his rival candidate, Jilith Nishantha of the UNP. ^[5]

Representation

The Galle Municipal Council is divided into 15 wards and is represented by 35 councillors, elected using an open list proportional representation system. ^[6]

2025 local government election

  UNP : 5 seats

  SLPP: 3 seats

  SJB: 9 seats

  PA: 2 seats

  SB : 0 seats

  Others : 0 seats

  NPP: 17 seats

2018 local government election

Results of the local government election held on 8 February 2018: ^[7]

Alliances and parties		Votes	%	Seats
	United National Party	22,270	40.17%	14
	Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	20,096	36.25%	13
	United People's Freedom Alliance (NC, ACMC, SLFP et al.)	5,532	9.98%	3
	Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna	5,177	9.34%	3
	United National Freedom Front	1,265	2.28%	1
	Independent 2	896	1.62%	1
	Independent 1	206	0.37%	0
Valid Votes		55,442	100.00%	35
Rejected Votes		1,026
Total Polled		56,468
Registered Electors		71,858
Turnout		78.58%

2011 local government election

Results of the local government election held on 8 October 2011: ^{[8] [9]}

Alliances and parties		Votes	%	Seats
	United People's Freedom Alliance (NC, ACMC, SLFP et al.)	23,539	55.39%	11
	United National Party	16,137	37.97%	7
	Sri Lanka Muslim Congress	1,085	2.55%	1
	Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna	164	1.44%	0
	Independent 3	87	0.20%	0
	Janasetha Peramuna	17	0.04%	0
	Independent 4	10	0.02%	0
	United Lanka Great Council (Eksath Lanka Maha Sabha)	9	0.02%	0
	Independent 6	9	0.02%	0
	Independent 2	8	0.02%	0
	Independent 1	6	0.01%	0
	Ruhuna People's Party (Ruhunu Janatha Party)	4	0.01%	0
	Independent 5	3	0.01%	0
Valid Votes		42,494	100.00%	19
Rejected Votes		1,179
Total Polled		43,673
Registered Electors		64,720
Turnout		67.48%

The Galle Municipal Council has five standing committees each headed by committee chairman. The standing committees are Finance and Tender, Works and Solid Waste, Health and Sanitisation, Electricity and Water, and Environment.

References

1. "NPP secures power in Galle Municipal Council". www.adaderana.lk. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
2. "SLPP suspends party membership of Galle Deputy Mayor". www.adaderana.lk. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
3. "Galle City Profile" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 October 2013. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
4. "Population by Ethnicity according to D.S. Division and Sector: Galle District (Provisional)". Census of Population Housing 2011. Department of Census and Statistics. 2011. Archived from the original on 1 November 2016. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
5. "SLPP's Priyantha Godage elected Galle Mayor". Daily Mirror. 23 March 2018. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
6. "Compilation of Local Authority - Municipal Councils". Ministry of Local Governments and Provincial Councils. Archived from the original on 20 December 2014. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
7. "Local Authorities Election Results - 2018 - Galle Municipal Council". Adadarena. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
8. "Local Authorities Election - 08.10.2011 Galle Municipal Council". Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 24 October 2014.
9. "2011 Local Government Elections - Galle Municipal Council". Sri Lanka Elections. Archived from the original on 16 August 2014. Retrieved 23 October 2014.

External links

• Galle Municipal Council website