1999 Sri Lankan provincial council elections

Last updated

3rd Sri Lankan provincial council election
Flag of Sri Lanka.svg
← 199325 January 1999, 6 April 1999, 10 June 1999 2004  →
380 seats across 7 provincial councils
 First partySecond partyThird party
  Chandrika Kumaratunga.jpg Ranil At UNP Office.jpg No image.svg
Leader Chandrika Kumaratunga Ranil Wickremasinghe Somawansa Amarasinghe
Party People's Alliance UNP JVP
Popular vote3,133,6582,761,864417,168
Percentage46.88%41.31%6.24%
Councillors18715225
Councils200

The 1999 Sri Lankan provincial council election was held on 25 January 1999, 6 April 1999 and 10 June 1999 to elect members to seven provincial councils in Sri Lanka. No election was held in the eighth province, North Eastern, which had been governed directly by the national government since March 1990. The People's Alliance, which was in power nationally, won the majority of seats in two provinces (North Central and North Western). It was also able to form a majority administration in the other five provinces with the support of smaller parties such as the Ceylon Workers' Congress.

Contents

Background

In an attempt to end the Sri Lankan Civil War, the Indo-Lanka Accord was signed on 29 July 1987. One of the requirements of the accord was that the Sri Lankan government to devolve powers to the provinces. [1] Accordingly, on 14 November 1987, the Sri Lankan Parliament passed the 13th Amendment to the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka and the Provincial Councils Act No 42 of 1987. [2] [3] On 3 February 1988, nine provincial councils were created by order. [4] The first elections for provincial councils took place on 28 April 1988 in North Central, North Western, Sabaragamuwa, and Uva provinces. [5] On 2 June 1988, elections were held for provincial councils for Central, Southern and Western provinces. The United National Party (UNP), which was in power nationally, won control of all seven provincial councils.[ citation needed ]

The Indo-Lanka Accord also required the merger of the Eastern and Northern provinces into one administrative unit. The accord required a referendum to be held by 31 December 1988, in the Eastern Province to decide whether the merger should be permanent. Crucially, the accord allowed the Sri Lankan president to postpone the referendum at his discretion. [1] On September 2 and 8 1988, President Jayewardene issued proclamations enabling the Eastern and Northern provinces to be one administrative unit administered by one elected council, creating the North Eastern Province. [4] Elections in the newly merged North Eastern Province were held on 19 November 1988. The Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front, an Indian backed paramilitary group, won control of the North Eastern provincial council.[ citation needed ]

On 1 March 1990, just as the Indian Peace Keeping Force were preparing to withdraw from Sri Lanka, Annamalai Varatharajah Perumal, Chief Minister of the North Eastern Province, moved a motion in the North Eastern Provincial Council declaring an independent Eelam. [6] President Premadasa reacted to Permual's UDI by dissolving the provincial council and imposing direct rule on the province.[ citation needed ]

The 2nd Sri Lankan provincial council election was held in 1993 in seven provinces. The UNP retained control of six provincial councils but lost control of the largest provincial council, Western, to the opposition People's Alliance. A special election was held in Southern Province in 1994 after some UNP provincial councillors defected to the opposition. The PA won the election and took control of the Southern Provincial Council.

Results

The PA, which was now in power nationally, managed to win the majority of seats in two provinces (North Central and North Western). It was also able to form a majority administration in the other five provinces with the support of smaller parties such as the Ceylon Workers' Congress.

Overall

Party / AllianceVotes%Seats
People's Alliance 13,133,65846.88%187
United National Party 2,761,86441.31%152
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna 417,1686.24%25
National Union of Workers (CWC, DWC)145,3502.17%9
Mahajana Eksath Peramuna 87,1651.30%3
New Left Front 63,5780.95%1
Up-Country People's Front 25,3690.38%2
Independents 22,4940.34%0
Muslim United Liberation Front10,0510.15%0
Sri Lanka Muslim Congress 17,2300.11%1
Liberal Party 5,3290.08%0
Sri Lanka Progressive Front2,5570.04%0
Sinhalaye Mahasammatha Bhoomiputra Pakshaya 1,5400.02%0
People's Liberation Solidarity Front1,2160.02%0
People's Freedom Front3400.01%0
Valid Votes6,684,909100.00%380
Rejected Votes
Total Polled
Registered Electors9,991,293
Turnout
1. SLMC contested separately in Kalutara District, and with the PA in other districts.

Central Province

Results of the 3rd Central provincial council election held on 6 April 1999:

Party / Alliance Kandy Matale Nuwara Eliya Bonus
Seats		Total
Votes%SeatsVotes%SeatsVotes%SeatsVotes%Seats
People's Alliance 247,25047.54%95,11551.38%79,26429.18%2421,62943.17%26
United National Party 232,93444.79%70,70538.20%88,02032.41%391,65940.10%23
National Union of Workers (CWC)16,9543.26%9,3065.03%69,44125.57%95,7019.80%6
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna 16,0653.09%18,0104.33%4,9091.81%28,9842.97%1
Up-Country People's Front 22,8968.43%222,8962.34%2
Mahajana Eksath Peramuna 4,4330.85%1,4530.78%8110.30%6,6970.69%0
Independents 8530.16%5160.28%2,7311.01%4,1000.42%0
New Left Front 3,5411.30%3,5410.36%0
Liberal Party 8810.17%8810.09%0
Sri Lanka Progressive Front6890.13%6890.07%0
Valid Votes520,059100.00%185,105100.00%271,613100.00%2976,777100.00%58
Rejected Votes45,00016,25730,85392,110
Total Polled565,059201,362302,4661,068,887
Registered Electors780,232281,089391,5851,452,906
Turnout72.42%71.64%77.24%73.57%

North Central Province

Results of the 3rd North Central provincial council election held on 6 April 1999:

Party / Alliance Anuradhapura Polonnaruwa Bonus
Seats		Total
Votes%SeatsVotes%SeatsVotes%Seats
People's Alliance 156,29154.09%75,46652.01%2231,75753.39%19
United National Party 111,28538.51%60,02241.37%171,30739.46%12
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna 14,1974.91%8,4985.86%22,6955.23%2
New Left Front 4,2591.47%4,2590.98%0
Mahajana Eksath Peramuna 1,1500.40%3940.27%1,5440.36%0
Independents 8610.30%8610.20%0
Muslim United Liberation Front7980.28%7980.18%0
Liberal Party 3880.27%3880.09%0
Sinhalaye Mahasammatha Bhoomiputra Pakshaya 3340.23%3340.08%0
Sri Lanka Progressive Front1310.05%1310.03%0
Valid Votes288,972100.00%145,102100.00%2434,074100.00%33
Rejected Votes22,15310,25532,408
Total Polled311,125155,357466,482
Registered Electors448,098217,318665,416
Turnout69.43%71.49%70.10%

North Western Province

Results of the 3rd North Western provincial council election held on 25 January 1999:

Party / Alliance Kurunegala Puttalam Bonus
Seats		Total
Votes%SeatsVotes%SeatsVotes%Seats
People's Alliance 405,43156.16%20160,72256.97%82566,15356.39%30
United National Party 273,89237.94%13105,87637.53%6379,76837.82%19
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna 31,2214.32%210,7593.81%141,9804.18%3
New Left Front 9,4561.31%03,3611.19%012,8171.28%0
Muslim United Liberation Front9710.13%05420.19%01,5130.15%0
Liberal Party 6760.09%02020.07%08780.09%0
Independents 3090.04%05400.19%08490.08%0
Sri Lanka Progressive Front1260.04%01260.01%0
Valid Votes721,956100.00%35282,128100.00%1521,004,084100.00%52
Rejected Votes
Total Polled
Registered Electors960,241398,0551,358,296
Turnout

Sabaragamuwa Province

Results of the 3rd Sabaragamuwa provincial council election held on 6 April 1999:

Party / Alliance Kegalle Ratnapura Bonus
Seats		Total
Votes%SeatsVotes%SeatsVotes%Seats
People's Alliance 165,04147.70%191,50247.92%2356,54347.82%22
United National Party 158,50345.81%175,91244.02%334,41544.85%19
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna 15,5374.49%117,2004.30%132,7374.39%2
National Union of Workers (CWC)4,3511.26%7,5861.90%11,9371.60%1
New Left Front 5,0471.26%5,0470.68%0
Mahajana Eksath Peramuna 1,5520.45%1,6240.41%3,1760.43%0
Liberal Party 9830.28%9830.13%0
Independents 5920.15%5920.08%0
Sri Lanka Progressive Front1940.05%1940.03%0
Valid Votes345,967100.00%399,657100.00%2745,624100.00%44
Rejected Votes23,74929,36253,111
Total Polled369,716429,019798,735
Registered Electors528,107584,9981,113,105
Turnout70.01%73.34%71.76%

Southern Province

Results of the 4th Southern provincial council election held on 10 June 1999:

Party / Alliance Galle Hambantota Matara Bonus
Seats		Total
Votes%SeatsVotes%SeatsVotes%SeatsVotes%Seats
People's Alliance 214,71446.70%1189,48339.11%6157,76246.36%82461,95944.90%27
United National Party 188,92141.09%982,78636.19%5130,84338.45%7402,55039.13%21
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna 38,8178.44%247,29620.67%340,27611.84%2126,38912.28%7
Independents 5,1201.11%02,8241.23%06,0411.78%013,9851.36%0
New Left Front 4,9811.08%04,8692.13%02,9060.85%012,7561.24%0
Mahajana Eksath Peramuna 5,4961.20%01,0440.46%01,1600.34%07,7000.75%0
People's Liberation Solidarity Front4440.10%03240.14%04480.13%01,2160.12%0
Liberal Party 3400.07%01500.07%02980.09%07880.08%0
Muslim United Liberation Front7390.16%07390.07%0
Sinhalaye Mahasammatha Bhoomiputra Pakshaya 3990.12%03990.04%0
People's Freedom Front1970.04%01430.04%03400.03%0
Valid Votes459,769100.00%22228,776100.00%14340,276100.00%1721,028,821100.00%55
Rejected Votes
Total Polled
Registered Electors652,734342,498510,3101,505,542

Uva Province

Results of the 3rd Uva provincial council election held on 6 April 1999:

Party / Alliance Badulla Monaragala Bonus
Seats		Total
Votes%SeatsVotes%SeatsVotes%Seats
People's Alliance 140,29344.69%66,87045.35%2207,16344.90%17
United National Party 137,43743.78%65,34044.31%202,77743.95%14
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna 12,1063.86%10,2926.98%22,3984.85%2
National Union of Workers (CWC)19,2246.12%1,9271.31%21,1514.58%1
Mahajana Eksath Peramuna 1,9800.63%4190.28%2,3990.52%0
Up-Country People's Front 2,4730.79%2,4730.54%0
New Left Front 2,1821.48%2,1820.47%0
Independents 4070.13%3740.25%7810.17%0
Sri Lanka Progressive Front500.03%500.01%0
Valid Votes313,920100.00%147,454100.00%2461,374100.00%34
Rejected Votes29,39613,97643,372
Total Polled343,316161,430504,746
Registered Electors454,913224,077678,990
Turnout75.47%72.04%74.34%

Western Province

Results of the 3rd Western provincial council election held on 6 April 1999:

Party / Alliance Colombo Gampaha Kalutara Bonus
Seats		Total
Votes%SeatsVotes%SeatsVotes%SeatsVotes%Seats
People's Alliance 313,57638.98%17376,17648.30%17198,70244.08%102888,45443.68%46
United National Party 362,63645.07%19317,69840.79%15199,05444.16%10879,38843.23%44
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna 55,3616.88%358,2777.48%328,3476.29%2141,9856.98%8
Mahajana Eksath Peramuna 43,0085.35%215,4921.99%17,1491.59%065,6493.23%3
New Left Front 9,1401.14%18,4091.08%05,4271.20%022,9761.13%1
National Union of Workers (DWC)12,5101.55%14,0510.90%016,5610.81%1
Sri Lanka Muslim Congress 7,2301.60%17,2300.36%1
Muslim United Liberation Front5,0870.63%01,3470.17%05670.13%07,0010.34%0
Liberal Party 1,4110.18%01,4110.07%0
Sri Lanka Progressive Front4950.06%06630.09%02090.05%01,3670.07%0
Independents 1,3260.16%01,3260.07%0
Sinhalaye Mahasammatha Bhoomiputra Pakshaya 8070.10%08070.04%0
Valid Votes804,550100.00%43778,869100.00%36450,736100.00%2322,034,155100.00%104
Rejected Votes50,43548,26228,441127,138
Total Polled854,985827,131479,1772,161,293
Registered Electors1,326,4871,213,589676,9623,217,038
Turnout64.45%68.16%70.78%67.18%

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References

  1. 1 2 "Indo Sri Lanka Agreement, 1987". TamilNation.
  2. ↑ "Introduction". Official Website of the Government of Sri Lanka. Government of Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 7 July 2009.
  3. ↑ "Amendments to the 1978 Constitution". Official Website of the Government of Sri Lanka. Government of Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 17 August 2009.
  4. 1 2 "North-East merger illegal: SC". LankaNewspapers.com. 17 October 2006.
  5. ↑ "Ethnic Conflict of Sri Lanka: Time Line - From Independence to 1999". International Centre for Ethnic Studies9. Archived from the original on 12 December 2009.
  6. ↑ Ferdinando, Shamindra (10 September 2000). "I'm no traitor, says Perumal". Sunday Island. Archived from the original on 1 May 2009.
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