Matara Municipal Council

Last updated
Matara Municipal Council
Type
Type
Leadership
Deputy Mayor
Ranjith Yasarathna, (UPFA)
since 8 October 2011
Municipal Commissioner
Senaka Palliyaguruge
Structure
Seats30
Matara Municipal Council 2025.svg
Political groups
Government (17)
  •   National People's Power (17)

Opposition (13)

Elections
open list proportional representation system
Last election
6 May 2025

The Matara Municipal Council is the local council for Matara, the second largest city in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka, the third level administrative division of the country. The council was established under the Municipalities Ordinance of 1865 as the 13th municipal council of Sri Lanka.

Contents

Geography

The Matara Four Gravets is 21.2 km2 (8.2 sq mi) in area. The average elevation above sea level is 16 m (52 ft).

Administrative units

Matara Municipal Council is divided into 36 Grama Niladhari Divisions (GN Divisions), with seven villages.

Population

The population of Matara Four Gravets area, according to the 2011 Census, was 114,970, a decline from the population of 103,246 in 2001.

Ethnicity in Matara (2011)
PopulationPercent
Sinhalese
95.87%
Muslims
3.75%
Tamils
0.28%
Others
0.09%
EthnicityPopulation [1] % Of Total
Sinhalese 67,47095.87
Sri Lankan Moors 4,3143.75
Sri Lankan Tamils 3040.26
Indian Tamils 220.02
Other (including Burgher, Malay)1400.09
Total114,970100

Mayor

The Mayor of Matara is the head of Matara Municipal Council and his office is located at the Matara Town Hall. Mayor Sosindra Handunge resigned on 20 September 2015 from his position and the current acting mayor is Ranjith Yasaratna.

Representation

The Matara Municipal Council is divided into 30 wards and is represented by 30 councillors, elected using an open list proportional representation system. [2]

2018 local government election

Results of the local government election held on 8 February 2018: [3]

Alliances and partiesVotes%Seats
  Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna 20,65545.72%15
  United National Party 13,44629.76%8
  United People's Freedom Alliance (NC, SLFP et al.)5,66812.55%4
  Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna 5,23311.58%3
National People's Party1790.4%0
Valid Votes45,181100.00%30
Rejected Votes720
Total Polled45,901
Registered Electors56,455
Turnout

2011 local government election

Results of the local government election held on 8 October 2011: [4] [5]

Alliances and partiesVotes%Seats
  United People's Freedom Alliance (NC, ACMC, SLFP et al.)20,68157.68%9
  United National Party 12,61935.20%5
  Peoples Liberation Front 1,4494.04%1
Independent 1 1,0562.95%0
Our National Front180.05%0
Jana Setha Peramuna100.03%0
People's Liberation Solidarity Front80.02%0
Ruhuna People's Party (Ruhunu Janatha Party)80.02%0
Independent 2 50.01%0
Valid Votes35,85497.82%15
Rejected Votes798
Total Polled36,652
Registered Electors51,895
Turnout70.63%

Preference votes (2011) results as below:

Sosindra Handunge UPFA: topping the list with – 8,389 votes followed by UPFA candidates K.D.G Yasarathna – 7,206 and Chathura Galappaththi with 6,356 and UNP list : Upul Nishantha – 7,486 votes followed by Nandasena Sellaheva – 3,035 preference votes respectively.

The Matara 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. "Population by Ethnicity according to D.S. Division and Sector: Matara District (Provisional)". Census of Population Housing 2011. Department of Census and Statistics. 2011. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  2. "Compilation of Local Authority - Municipal Councils". Ministry of Local Governments and Provincial Councils. Archived from the original on 20 December 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  3. "Local Authorities Election Results - 2018 - Galle Municipal Council". Adadarena. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
  4. "Local Authorities Election - 08.10.2011 Matara Municipal Council". Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  5. "2011 Local Government Elections - Matara Municipal Council". Sri Lanka Elections. Retrieved 1 December 2014.