Sri Lankan local government elections, 2009
Encyclopedia
Local government
elections were held in Sri Lanka
on 8 August 2009 for two local councils
in the north of the country: Jaffna
Municipal Council and Vavuniya
Urban Council. They were the first elections held in the country since the government
declared victory in the 26 year old civil war
on 18 May 2009. They were also the first local elections held in the Northern Province
in more than 11 years. Both towns had been under government control for many years. The government won the Jaffna Municipal Council contest by securing 13 of the 23 seats. The Tamil National Alliance
(TNA) won the Vavuniya Urban Council contest by securing 5 of the 11 seats. Turnout was very low in Jaffna (22%) but it was better in Vavuniya (52%).
Provincial Council elections.
The TNA has said that the elections are being held too early, with so many of the electorate displaced. It expected the Jaffna elections to be violent and the results to be rigged, just like the 2008 Eastern Provincial Council elections
. The United National Party
(UNP) and the People’s Action for Free and Fair Election (PAFFREL) have called on the election authorities to bring in foreign election observers.
(TULF), has accused a Tamil government minister of "terrorising the residents of Jaffna in the run-up to the Municipal Council elections". It is believed that the minister Anandasangaree was referring to is Douglas Devananda
, leader of the paramilitary Eelam People's Democratic Party
(EPDP).
The UNP has accused the government of obstructing the UNP's campaign in Jaffna and Vavuniya. It says the government is preventing its free movement and has complained to the Election Department. The UNP has also accused armed supporters of the EPDP of threatening its candidates. It has said that the EPDP is using state resources, such as the police, in its election campaigns.
In the early hours of 25 June 2009 armed men attacked newspaper delivery men and burnt thousands of copies of three Tamil language
newspapers (Thinakkural
, Uthayan
and Valampuri) in Jaffna. The newspapers had refused to print a statement attacking the Tamil Tigers from a shadowy group calling itself the "Tamil Front Protecting the Country". The group telephoned the Thinakkural after the attack and warned that the newspapers would continue to be confiscated and torched until the statement was published. The newspaper published the statement under duress
on 26 June 2009.
On 27 June 2009 the group issued further threats against the Uthayan, this time ordering all its staff to resign by 30 June 2009 or face death.
On 4 July 2009 two men were shot and killed by unidentified gunmen in the Parathipuram area of Vavuniya. The dead men were identified as 39-year-old Nadaraja Ramesh Kantha, principal of Parathipuram Tamil Mixed School, and 31-year-old Gunarathnam Peter Ruben.
for Jaffna MC was held on 29 January 1998.
The following six alliances / parties / independent groups' nominations were accepted by the Sri Lankan Department of Election:
A total of 174 candidates competed for the 23 seats available on the council.
The nominations of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress
(SLMC) and an independent group
(Arumugam Sellathurai) were rejected by the Sri Lankan Department of Election. The SLMC appealed to the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka
but on 3 July the courts rejected the appeal. There were approximately 10,000 Muslim refugees from Jaffna living in other districts. Of these 7,104 applied to vote in the Jaffna elections. With the elimination of the SLMC and the UNP not fielding any Muslim candidates, most of the Muslims would most likely have voted for the United People's Freedom Alliance.
Extraordinarily there were no applications by Tamil refugees to vote in the Jaffna elections. There are hundreds of thousands of Tamil refugees from the Jaffna peninsula
living in other parts of the country, either in refugee camps or with relatives. Many of these are from the Jaffna municipality area.
Veteran politician Veerasingham Anandasangaree is a candidate to become Mayor
of Jaffna. Anandasangaree was a TNA Member of Parliament
but left the TNA when it started taking a pro-Tamil Tiger stance. Since then he has reconstituted the TULF, a constituent party of the TNA, as a separate political party and formed alliances with government-backed anti-Tamil Tigers paramilitary
groups, such as the People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE), in order to fight elections against the TNA. Most TULF members however remain within the TNA.
The following candidates were elected:
The EPDP has nominated Patkunam Yogeswary to be Mayor
and Thurairajah Illango to be Deputy Mayor.
The following nine alliances / parties / independent groups' nominations were accepted by the Sri Lankan Department of Election:
A total of 135 candidates competed for the 11 seats available on the council.
The TULF (Anandasangaree wing) filed a separate nomination but this was rejected by the Sri Lankan Department of Election.
(TNA) secured 5 of the 11 seats, making it the largest group on Vavuniya Urban Council. The TNA is seeking SLMC support to form a majority administration. The TNA's victory in Vavuniya was seen as an surprise by international observers because many people had predicted the end of the TNA following the LTTE's military defeat.
The following candidates were elected:
The TNA has nominated S. N. G. Nathan to be Chairman and Muttu Sivasami Muguntharathan to be Deputy Mayor.
Local government
Local government refers collectively to administrative authorities over areas that are smaller than a state.The term is used to contrast with offices at nation-state level, which are referred to as the central government, national government, or federal government...
elections were held in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
on 8 August 2009 for two local councils
Local government in Sri Lanka
Local government is the third and lowest level of government in Sri Lanka - after the central government and provincial councils. The local government bodies are collectively known as local authorities. They are responsible for providing a variety of local public services including roads,...
in the north of the country: Jaffna
Jaffna
Jaffna is the capital city of the Northern Province, Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna district located on a peninsula of the same name. Jaffna is approximately six miles away from Kandarodai which served as a famous emporium in the Jaffna peninsula from classical...
Municipal Council and Vavuniya
Vavuniya
Vavuniya is a town in northern Sri Lanka. This town is situated in the Northern Province. Vavuniya was often referred to as the gateway to Vanni....
Urban Council. They were the first elections held in the country since the government
Politics of Sri Lanka
Politics of Sri Lanka takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Sri Lanka is both head of state and head of government, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both...
declared victory in the 26 year old civil war
Sri Lankan civil war
The Sri Lankan Civil War was a conflict fought on the island of Sri Lanka. Beginning on July 23, 1983, there was an on-and-off insurgency against the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , a separatist militant organization which fought to create an independent Tamil state named Tamil...
on 18 May 2009. They were also the first local elections held in the Northern Province
Northern Province, Sri Lanka
The Northern Province is one of the 9 provinces of Sri Lanka. The provinces have existed since the 19th century but did not have any legal status until 1987 when the 13th Amendment to the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka established provincial councils. Between 1988 and 2006 the province was...
in more than 11 years. Both towns had been under government control for many years. The government won the Jaffna Municipal Council contest by securing 13 of the 23 seats. The Tamil National Alliance
Tamil National Alliance
The Tamil National Alliance is a powerful minority Sri Lankan Tamil political alliance in Sri Lanka. It was formed as an amalgamation of moderate Tamil parties as well as number of former rebel groups...
(TNA) won the Vavuniya Urban Council contest by securing 5 of the 11 seats. Turnout was very low in Jaffna (22%) but it was better in Vavuniya (52%).
Background
On 25 May 2009 the government announced that local elections would be held in Jaffna and Vavuniya. Nominations took place between 18 June 2009 and 25 June 2009. After the nominations closed the Sri Lankan Department of Election announced that the elections would take place on 8 August 2009, the same day as the UvaUva Province
Uva is Sri Lanka's second least populated province, with 1,187,335 people, created in 1896. It consists of two districts: Badulla බදුල්ල பதுளை and Moneragala මොනරාගල மொனராகல. The provincial capital is Badulla. Uva is bordered by Eastern, Southern and Central provinces...
Provincial Council elections.
The TNA has said that the elections are being held too early, with so many of the electorate displaced. It expected the Jaffna elections to be violent and the results to be rigged, just like the 2008 Eastern Provincial Council elections
Sri Lanka Eastern Provincial Council elections, 2008
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...
. The United National Party
United National Party
The United National Party, often referred to as the UNP ), , is a political party in Sri Lanka. It currently is the main opposition party in Sri Lanka and is headed by Ranil Wickremesinghe...
(UNP) and the People’s Action for Free and Fair Election (PAFFREL) have called on the election authorities to bring in foreign election observers.
Violence, intimidation and other irregularities
Veerasingham Anandasangaree, president of the Tamil United Liberation FrontTamil United Liberation Front
The Tamil United Liberation Front is a political party in Sri Lanka which seeks independence for the Tamil-populated areas of Sri Lanka.-Formation:...
(TULF), has accused a Tamil government minister of "terrorising the residents of Jaffna in the run-up to the Municipal Council elections". It is believed that the minister Anandasangaree was referring to is Douglas Devananda
Douglas Devananda
Kathiravelu Nithyananda Douglas Devananda, commonly known as Douglas Devananda, is a Sri Lankan Tamil politician, Cabinet Minister and leader of the Eelam People's Democratic Party. Originally a Sri Lanka Tamil militant who fought against the Sri Lankan government for an independent Tamil Eelam, he...
, leader of the paramilitary Eelam People's Democratic Party
Eelam People's Democratic Party
The Eelam People's Democratic Party is a political party and a pro-government paramilitary organization in Sri Lanka. It is led by its founder Douglas Devananda.-Background:...
(EPDP).
The UNP has accused the government of obstructing the UNP's campaign in Jaffna and Vavuniya. It says the government is preventing its free movement and has complained to the Election Department. The UNP has also accused armed supporters of the EPDP of threatening its candidates. It has said that the EPDP is using state resources, such as the police, in its election campaigns.
In the early hours of 25 June 2009 armed men attacked newspaper delivery men and burnt thousands of copies of three Tamil language
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
newspapers (Thinakkural
Thinakkural
Thinakkural is a Tamil newspaper published in Sri Lanka. There have reported number of attempts to force the paper to stop its distribution in recent times....
, Uthayan
Uthayan
Uthayan is a Tamil newspaper published in Jaffna, Sri Lanka. It was founded in 1985 and has been the single voice of the people of the Jaffna since 1996....
and Valampuri) in Jaffna. The newspapers had refused to print a statement attacking the Tamil Tigers from a shadowy group calling itself the "Tamil Front Protecting the Country". The group telephoned the Thinakkural after the attack and warned that the newspapers would continue to be confiscated and torched until the statement was published. The newspaper published the statement under duress
Duress
In jurisprudence, duress or coercion refers to a situation whereby a person performs an act as a result of violence, threat or other pressure against the person. Black's Law Dictionary defines duress as "any unlawful threat or coercion used... to induce another to act [or not act] in a manner...
on 26 June 2009.
On 27 June 2009 the group issued further threats against the Uthayan, this time ordering all its staff to resign by 30 June 2009 or face death.
On 4 July 2009 two men were shot and killed by unidentified gunmen in the Parathipuram area of Vavuniya. The dead men were identified as 39-year-old Nadaraja Ramesh Kantha, principal of Parathipuram Tamil Mixed School, and 31-year-old Gunarathnam Peter Ruben.
Jaffna Municipal Council
The last electionSri Lankan local government elections, 1998
Local government elections were held in Sri Lanka on 29 January 1998 for 17 local authorities on the Jaffna peninsula, in the north of the country. They were the first local elections held in the peninsula since 1983. Turnout was low due to the threats issued by the rebel Tamil Tigers...
for Jaffna MC was held on 29 January 1998.
The following six alliances / parties / independent groups' nominations were accepted by the Sri Lankan Department of Election:
- Tamil National AllianceTamil National AllianceThe Tamil National Alliance is a powerful minority Sri Lankan Tamil political alliance in Sri Lanka. It was formed as an amalgamation of moderate Tamil parties as well as number of former rebel groups...
- Tamil United Liberation FrontTamil United Liberation FrontThe Tamil United Liberation Front is a political party in Sri Lanka which seeks independence for the Tamil-populated areas of Sri Lanka.-Formation:...
- United National PartyUnited National PartyThe United National Party, often referred to as the UNP ), , is a political party in Sri Lanka. It currently is the main opposition party in Sri Lanka and is headed by Ranil Wickremesinghe...
- United People's Freedom AllianceUnited People's Freedom AllianceThe United People's Freedom Alliance is a political alliance in Sri Lanka. The current leader of the United People's Freedom Alliance is Mahinda Rajapaksa and Susil Premajayantha is the general secretary of UPFA.The alliance was formed by:...
- Independent Group 1Independent (politician)In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
(displaced MuslimsSri Lankan MoorsThe Sri Lankan Moors are the third largest ethnic group in Sri Lanka comprising 8% of the country's total population . They are predominantly followers of Islam. The Moors trace their ancestry to Arab traders who settled in Sri Lanka some time between the 8th and 15th centuries...
) - Independent Group 2Independent (politician)In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
(Abimanasingham Manickasothy)
A total of 174 candidates competed for the 23 seats available on the council.
The nominations of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress
Sri Lanka Muslim Congress
The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress is a political party in Sri Lanka. The party was formed at a meeting held at Kattankudy in 1981 by a small study group of local Eastern Province political leaders....
(SLMC) and an independent group
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
(Arumugam Sellathurai) were rejected by the Sri Lankan Department of Election. The SLMC appealed to the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka
Supreme Court of Sri Lanka
The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka is the highest court of the nation of Sri Lanka. The Supreme Court is the highest and final judicial instance of record and is empowered to exercise its powers, subject to the provisions of the Constitution. The Court has ultimate appellate jurisdiction in...
but on 3 July the courts rejected the appeal. There were approximately 10,000 Muslim refugees from Jaffna living in other districts. Of these 7,104 applied to vote in the Jaffna elections. With the elimination of the SLMC and the UNP not fielding any Muslim candidates, most of the Muslims would most likely have voted for the United People's Freedom Alliance.
Extraordinarily there were no applications by Tamil refugees to vote in the Jaffna elections. There are hundreds of thousands of Tamil refugees from the Jaffna peninsula
Jaffna Peninsula
The Jaffna Peninsula is an area in Northern Province, Sri Lanka. It is home to the capital city of the province, Jaffna and comprises much of the former land mass of the ancient Tamil kingdoms of the Nagas and the medieval Jaffna kingdom. The peninsula is mostly surrounded by water, connected to...
living in other parts of the country, either in refugee camps or with relatives. Many of these are from the Jaffna municipality area.
Veteran politician Veerasingham Anandasangaree is a candidate to become Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Jaffna. Anandasangaree was a TNA Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
but left the TNA when it started taking a pro-Tamil Tiger stance. Since then he has reconstituted the TULF, a constituent party of the TNA, as a separate political party and formed alliances with government-backed anti-Tamil Tigers paramilitary
Paramilitary
A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
groups, such as the People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE), in order to fight elections against the TNA. Most TULF members however remain within the TNA.
Results
The government (UPFA) took control of the Jaffna Municipal Council after securing 13 of the 23 seats.| Alliance / Party / Independent Group | Votes | % | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| United People's Freedom Alliance United People's Freedom Alliance The United People's Freedom Alliance is a political alliance in Sri Lanka. The current leader of the United People's Freedom Alliance is Mahinda Rajapaksa and Susil Premajayantha is the general secretary of UPFA.The alliance was formed by:...
|
10,602 | 50.67% | 13 |
| Tamil National Alliance Tamil National Alliance The Tamil National Alliance is a powerful minority Sri Lankan Tamil political alliance in Sri Lanka. It was formed as an amalgamation of moderate Tamil parties as well as number of former rebel groups... All Ceylon Tamil Congress All Ceylon Tamil Congress , is the oldest Tamil political party in Sri Lanka.-History:The ACTC was founded in 1944 by G.G. Ponnambalam. Ponnambalam asked for a 50-50 representation in parliament... Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front The Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front is a Sri Lankan political party and a former militant separatist group.-Militant separatists:The EPRLF was formed in 1980 by K... (Suresh wing) Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi is a Sri Lankan political party which represents the Sri Lankan Tamil ethnic minority in the country. It was originally formed in 1949 as breakaway faction of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress... Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization The Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization is an Eelam Tamil organisation campaigning for the establishment of an independent Tamil Eelam in the northeast of Sri Lanka. The TELO was originally created as a militant group, and functioned as such until 1986, when most of its membership was killed in a... |
8,008 | 38.28% | 8 |
| Independent Group 1 Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... |
1,175 | 5.62% | 1 |
| Tamil United Liberation Front Tamil United Liberation Front The Tamil United Liberation Front is a political party in Sri Lanka which seeks independence for the Tamil-populated areas of Sri Lanka.-Formation:... Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front The Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front is a Sri Lankan political party and a former militant separatist group.-Militant separatists:The EPRLF was formed in 1980 by K... (Varathar wing) People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam The People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam is a former Tamil militant group. It is currently a pro-government paramilitary group and political party. PLOTE's political wing is known as the Democratic People's Liberation Front.-Origins:... Tamil United Liberation Front The Tamil United Liberation Front is a political party in Sri Lanka which seeks independence for the Tamil-populated areas of Sri Lanka.-Formation:... |
1,007 | 4.81% | 1 |
| United National Party United National Party The United National Party, often referred to as the UNP ), , is a political party in Sri Lanka. It currently is the main opposition party in Sri Lanka and is headed by Ranil Wickremesinghe... |
83 | 0.40% | 0 |
| Independent Group 2 Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... |
47 | 0.22% | 0 |
| Valid Votes | 20,922 | 100.00% | 23 |
| Rejected Votes | 1,358 | ||
| Total Polled | 22,280 | ||
| Registered Electors | 100,417 | ||
| Turnout (%) | 22.19% | ||
| Source: | |||
The following candidates were elected:
| No. | Elected Candidate | Party | Preference Votes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 | Mudiyappu Remediyas | TNA Tamil National Alliance The Tamil National Alliance is a powerful minority Sri Lankan Tamil political alliance in Sri Lanka. It was formed as an amalgamation of moderate Tamil parties as well as number of former rebel groups... |
4,223 |
| 12 | Thurairajah Illango alias Regan | UPFA United People's Freedom Alliance The United People's Freedom Alliance is a political alliance in Sri Lanka. The current leader of the United People's Freedom Alliance is Mahinda Rajapaksa and Susil Premajayantha is the general secretary of UPFA.The alliance was formed by:... (EPDP Eelam People's Democratic Party The Eelam People's Democratic Party is a political party and a pro-government paramilitary organization in Sri Lanka. It is led by its founder Douglas Devananda.-Background:... ) |
3,387 |
| 1 | Mohamed Sultan Moulavi Sufian | Ind 1 Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... |
1,779 |
| 1 | Anthonypillai Mariamma | TNA Tamil National Alliance The Tamil National Alliance is a powerful minority Sri Lankan Tamil political alliance in Sri Lanka. It was formed as an amalgamation of moderate Tamil parties as well as number of former rebel groups... |
1,678 |
| 20 | Murugiah Komahan | UPFA United People's Freedom Alliance The United People's Freedom Alliance is a political alliance in Sri Lanka. The current leader of the United People's Freedom Alliance is Mahinda Rajapaksa and Susil Premajayantha is the general secretary of UPFA.The alliance was formed by:... (EPDP Eelam People's Democratic Party The Eelam People's Democratic Party is a political party and a pro-government paramilitary organization in Sri Lanka. It is led by its founder Douglas Devananda.-Background:... ) |
1,573 |
| 10 | Karthigesu Nadarasa Kanagaratnam | TNA Tamil National Alliance The Tamil National Alliance is a powerful minority Sri Lankan Tamil political alliance in Sri Lanka. It was formed as an amalgamation of moderate Tamil parties as well as number of former rebel groups... |
1,442 |
| 3 | Manuel Mangaleswaran alias Nesapriyan | UPFA United People's Freedom Alliance The United People's Freedom Alliance is a political alliance in Sri Lanka. The current leader of the United People's Freedom Alliance is Mahinda Rajapaksa and Susil Premajayantha is the general secretary of UPFA.The alliance was formed by:... (EPDP Eelam People's Democratic Party The Eelam People's Democratic Party is a political party and a pro-government paramilitary organization in Sri Lanka. It is led by its founder Douglas Devananda.-Background:... ) |
1,394 |
| 19 | Meerasahib Mohamed Rameez | UPFA United People's Freedom Alliance The United People's Freedom Alliance is a political alliance in Sri Lanka. The current leader of the United People's Freedom Alliance is Mahinda Rajapaksa and Susil Premajayantha is the general secretary of UPFA.The alliance was formed by:... (ACMC All Ceylon Muslim Congress The All Ceylon Muslim Congress is a Sri Lankan political party representing the Muslim community of Sri Lanka. It was formed in 2008 by four MPs elected to parliament from the opposition Sri Lanka Muslim Congress who had left their party and joined the ruling United People's Freedom Alliance in... ) |
1,338 |
| 14 | Patkunam Yogeswary | UPFA United People's Freedom Alliance The United People's Freedom Alliance is a political alliance in Sri Lanka. The current leader of the United People's Freedom Alliance is Mahinda Rajapaksa and Susil Premajayantha is the general secretary of UPFA.The alliance was formed by:... (EPDP Eelam People's Democratic Party The Eelam People's Democratic Party is a political party and a pro-government paramilitary organization in Sri Lanka. It is led by its founder Douglas Devananda.-Background:... ) |
1,250 |
| 16 | Pilevian Expedith Cracian | UPFA United People's Freedom Alliance The United People's Freedom Alliance is a political alliance in Sri Lanka. The current leader of the United People's Freedom Alliance is Mahinda Rajapaksa and Susil Premajayantha is the general secretary of UPFA.The alliance was formed by:... (EPDP Eelam People's Democratic Party The Eelam People's Democratic Party is a political party and a pro-government paramilitary organization in Sri Lanka. It is led by its founder Douglas Devananda.-Background:... ) |
1,166 |
| 17 | Nadarajah Rajathevan | TNA Tamil National Alliance The Tamil National Alliance is a powerful minority Sri Lankan Tamil political alliance in Sri Lanka. It was formed as an amalgamation of moderate Tamil parties as well as number of former rebel groups... |
1,118 |
| 19 | Benjamin Jacob | TNA Tamil National Alliance The Tamil National Alliance is a powerful minority Sri Lankan Tamil political alliance in Sri Lanka. It was formed as an amalgamation of moderate Tamil parties as well as number of former rebel groups... |
1,039 |
| 21 | Mohamed Merasahib Mustafa | UPFA United People's Freedom Alliance The United People's Freedom Alliance is a political alliance in Sri Lanka. The current leader of the United People's Freedom Alliance is Mahinda Rajapaksa and Susil Premajayantha is the general secretary of UPFA.The alliance was formed by:... (ACMC All Ceylon Muslim Congress The All Ceylon Muslim Congress is a Sri Lankan political party representing the Muslim community of Sri Lanka. It was formed in 2008 by four MPs elected to parliament from the opposition Sri Lanka Muslim Congress who had left their party and joined the ruling United People's Freedom Alliance in... ) |
1,029 |
| 18 | Manikkam Kanagaraththinam | UPFA United People's Freedom Alliance The United People's Freedom Alliance is a political alliance in Sri Lanka. The current leader of the United People's Freedom Alliance is Mahinda Rajapaksa and Susil Premajayantha is the general secretary of UPFA.The alliance was formed by:... (EPDP Eelam People's Democratic Party The Eelam People's Democratic Party is a political party and a pro-government paramilitary organization in Sri Lanka. It is led by its founder Douglas Devananda.-Background:... ) |
1,025 |
| 3 | Ariyakuddy Paramsothy | TNA Tamil National Alliance The Tamil National Alliance is a powerful minority Sri Lankan Tamil political alliance in Sri Lanka. It was formed as an amalgamation of moderate Tamil parties as well as number of former rebel groups... |
1,007 |
| 26 | Sutharsingh Vijiyakanth | UPFA United People's Freedom Alliance The United People's Freedom Alliance is a political alliance in Sri Lanka. The current leader of the United People's Freedom Alliance is Mahinda Rajapaksa and Susil Premajayantha is the general secretary of UPFA.The alliance was formed by:... (EPDP Eelam People's Democratic Party The Eelam People's Democratic Party is a political party and a pro-government paramilitary organization in Sri Lanka. It is led by its founder Douglas Devananda.-Background:... ) |
989 |
| 4 | Asker Roomi Badurtheen | UPFA United People's Freedom Alliance The United People's Freedom Alliance is a political alliance in Sri Lanka. The current leader of the United People's Freedom Alliance is Mahinda Rajapaksa and Susil Premajayantha is the general secretary of UPFA.The alliance was formed by:... (ACMC All Ceylon Muslim Congress The All Ceylon Muslim Congress is a Sri Lankan political party representing the Muslim community of Sri Lanka. It was formed in 2008 by four MPs elected to parliament from the opposition Sri Lanka Muslim Congress who had left their party and joined the ruling United People's Freedom Alliance in... ) |
979 |
| 1 | Ajmaeen Asfar | UPFA United People's Freedom Alliance The United People's Freedom Alliance is a political alliance in Sri Lanka. The current leader of the United People's Freedom Alliance is Mahinda Rajapaksa and Susil Premajayantha is the general secretary of UPFA.The alliance was formed by:... (ACMC All Ceylon Muslim Congress The All Ceylon Muslim Congress is a Sri Lankan political party representing the Muslim community of Sri Lanka. It was formed in 2008 by four MPs elected to parliament from the opposition Sri Lanka Muslim Congress who had left their party and joined the ruling United People's Freedom Alliance in... ) |
960 |
| 27 | Suvikaran Nishanthan | UPFA United People's Freedom Alliance The United People's Freedom Alliance is a political alliance in Sri Lanka. The current leader of the United People's Freedom Alliance is Mahinda Rajapaksa and Susil Premajayantha is the general secretary of UPFA.The alliance was formed by:... (EPDP Eelam People's Democratic Party The Eelam People's Democratic Party is a political party and a pro-government paramilitary organization in Sri Lanka. It is led by its founder Douglas Devananda.-Background:... ) |
896 |
| 2 | Anthonipillai Cilapotasious | UPFA United People's Freedom Alliance The United People's Freedom Alliance is a political alliance in Sri Lanka. The current leader of the United People's Freedom Alliance is Mahinda Rajapaksa and Susil Premajayantha is the general secretary of UPFA.The alliance was formed by:... (EPDP Eelam People's Democratic Party The Eelam People's Democratic Party is a political party and a pro-government paramilitary organization in Sri Lanka. It is led by its founder Douglas Devananda.-Background:... ) |
889 |
| 21 | Mariyakorattry Anton | TNA Tamil National Alliance The Tamil National Alliance is a powerful minority Sri Lankan Tamil political alliance in Sri Lanka. It was formed as an amalgamation of moderate Tamil parties as well as number of former rebel groups... |
881 |
| 5 | Arulappu Korneliyas | TNA Tamil National Alliance The Tamil National Alliance is a powerful minority Sri Lankan Tamil political alliance in Sri Lanka. It was formed as an amalgamation of moderate Tamil parties as well as number of former rebel groups... |
826 |
| 1 | Veerasingham Anandasangaree | TULF Tamil United Liberation Front The Tamil United Liberation Front is a political party in Sri Lanka which seeks independence for the Tamil-populated areas of Sri Lanka.-Formation:... |
424 |
| Sources: | |||
The EPDP has nominated Patkunam Yogeswary to be Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
and Thurairajah Illango to be Deputy Mayor.
Vavuniya Urban Council
The last election for Vavuniya UC was held on 1 March 1994.The following nine alliances / parties / independent groups' nominations were accepted by the Sri Lankan Department of Election:
- Democratic People's Liberation FrontDemocratic People's Liberation FrontDemocratic People's Liberation Front , a registered political party in Sri Lanka and a front of the People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam . DPLF was founded in 1988. DPLF lost its parliamentary representation in the 2004 elections. 2001-2004 DPLF had one MP, elected from Vanni Electoral...
- Sri Lanka Muslim CongressSri Lanka Muslim CongressThe Sri Lanka Muslim Congress is a political party in Sri Lanka. The party was formed at a meeting held at Kattankudy in 1981 by a small study group of local Eastern Province political leaders....
- Sri Lanka Progressive Front
- Tamil National AllianceTamil National AllianceThe Tamil National Alliance is a powerful minority Sri Lankan Tamil political alliance in Sri Lanka. It was formed as an amalgamation of moderate Tamil parties as well as number of former rebel groups...
- United National PartyUnited National PartyThe United National Party, often referred to as the UNP ), , is a political party in Sri Lanka. It currently is the main opposition party in Sri Lanka and is headed by Ranil Wickremesinghe...
- United People's Freedom AllianceUnited People's Freedom AllianceThe United People's Freedom Alliance is a political alliance in Sri Lanka. The current leader of the United People's Freedom Alliance is Mahinda Rajapaksa and Susil Premajayantha is the general secretary of UPFA.The alliance was formed by:...
- Independent Group 1Independent (politician)In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
- Independent Group 2Independent (politician)In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
- Independent Group 3Independent (politician)In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
A total of 135 candidates competed for the 11 seats available on the council.
The TULF (Anandasangaree wing) filed a separate nomination but this was rejected by the Sri Lankan Department of Election.
Results
The Tamil National AllianceTamil National Alliance
The Tamil National Alliance is a powerful minority Sri Lankan Tamil political alliance in Sri Lanka. It was formed as an amalgamation of moderate Tamil parties as well as number of former rebel groups...
(TNA) secured 5 of the 11 seats, making it the largest group on Vavuniya Urban Council. The TNA is seeking SLMC support to form a majority administration. The TNA's victory in Vavuniya was seen as an surprise by international observers because many people had predicted the end of the TNA following the LTTE's military defeat.
| Alliance / Party / Independent Group | Votes | % | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tamil National Alliance Tamil National Alliance The Tamil National Alliance is a powerful minority Sri Lankan Tamil political alliance in Sri Lanka. It was formed as an amalgamation of moderate Tamil parties as well as number of former rebel groups...
|
4,279 | 34.81% | 5 |
| Democratic People's Liberation Front Democratic People's Liberation Front Democratic People's Liberation Front , a registered political party in Sri Lanka and a front of the People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam . DPLF was founded in 1988. DPLF lost its parliamentary representation in the 2004 elections. 2001-2004 DPLF had one MP, elected from Vanni Electoral... Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front The Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front is a Sri Lankan political party and a former militant separatist group.-Militant separatists:The EPRLF was formed in 1980 by K... (Varathar wing) People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam The People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam is a former Tamil militant group. It is currently a pro-government paramilitary group and political party. PLOTE's political wing is known as the Democratic People's Liberation Front.-Origins:... Tamil United Liberation Front The Tamil United Liberation Front is a political party in Sri Lanka which seeks independence for the Tamil-populated areas of Sri Lanka.-Formation:... |
4,136 | 33.65% | 3 |
| United People's Freedom Alliance United People's Freedom Alliance The United People's Freedom Alliance is a political alliance in Sri Lanka. The current leader of the United People's Freedom Alliance is Mahinda Rajapaksa and Susil Premajayantha is the general secretary of UPFA.The alliance was formed by:... All Ceylon Muslim Congress The All Ceylon Muslim Congress is a Sri Lankan political party representing the Muslim community of Sri Lanka. It was formed in 2008 by four MPs elected to parliament from the opposition Sri Lanka Muslim Congress who had left their party and joined the ruling United People's Freedom Alliance in... Eelam People's Democratic Party The Eelam People's Democratic Party is a political party and a pro-government paramilitary organization in Sri Lanka. It is led by its founder Douglas Devananda.-Background:... Eelam Revolutionary Organisation of Students The Eelam Revolutionary Organisation of Students , also known as the Eelam Revolutionary Organisers, is a former Tamil militant group in Sri Lanka. Most of the EROS membership was absorbed into the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in 1990. The rump, which continues to use the EROS name, has... ) Sri Lanka Freedom Party The Sri Lanka Freedom Party is one of the major political parties in Sri Lanka. It was founded by S.W.R.D Bandaranaike in 1951 and, since then, has been one of the two largest parties in the Sri Lankan political arena. It first came to power in 1956 and since then has been the predominant party in... Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization The Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization is an Eelam Tamil organisation campaigning for the establishment of an independent Tamil Eelam in the northeast of Sri Lanka. The TELO was originally created as a militant group, and functioned as such until 1986, when most of its membership was killed in a... (Sri Sabaratnam Wing) |
3,045 | 24.77% | 2 |
| Sri Lanka Muslim Congress Sri Lanka Muslim Congress The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress is a political party in Sri Lanka. The party was formed at a meeting held at Kattankudy in 1981 by a small study group of local Eastern Province political leaders.... |
587 | 4.78% | 1 |
| United National Party United National Party The United National Party, often referred to as the UNP ), , is a political party in Sri Lanka. It currently is the main opposition party in Sri Lanka and is headed by Ranil Wickremesinghe... |
228 | 1.85% | 0 |
| Sri Lanka Progressive Front | 10 | 0.08% | 0 |
| Independent Group 1 Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... |
6 | 0.05% | 0 |
| Independent Group 3 Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... |
1 | 0.01% | 0 |
| Independent Group 2 Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... |
0 | 0.00% | 0 |
| Valid Votes | 12,292 | 100.00% | 11 |
| Rejected Votes | 558 | ||
| Total Polled | 12,850 | ||
| Registered Electors | 24,626 | ||
| Turnout (%) | 52.18% | ||
| Source: | |||
The following candidates were elected:
| No. | Elected Candidate | Party | Preference Votes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Kanthar Thamotharampillai Linganathan | DPLF Democratic People's Liberation Front Democratic People's Liberation Front , a registered political party in Sri Lanka and a front of the People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam . DPLF was founded in 1988. DPLF lost its parliamentary representation in the 2004 elections. 2001-2004 DPLF had one MP, elected from Vanni Electoral... |
2,958 |
| 14 | Muttu Sivasami Muguntharathan | TNA Tamil National Alliance The Tamil National Alliance is a powerful minority Sri Lankan Tamil political alliance in Sri Lanka. It was formed as an amalgamation of moderate Tamil parties as well as number of former rebel groups... |
2,551 |
| 1 | Abdul Pari Muhammadu Sareep | UPFA United People's Freedom Alliance The United People's Freedom Alliance is a political alliance in Sri Lanka. The current leader of the United People's Freedom Alliance is Mahinda Rajapaksa and Susil Premajayantha is the general secretary of UPFA.The alliance was formed by:... |
2,270 |
| 5 | Rathinasigam Sivakumar | TNA Tamil National Alliance The Tamil National Alliance is a powerful minority Sri Lankan Tamil political alliance in Sri Lanka. It was formed as an amalgamation of moderate Tamil parties as well as number of former rebel groups... |
1,105 |
| 7 | S. N. G. Nathan | TNA Tamil National Alliance The Tamil National Alliance is a powerful minority Sri Lankan Tamil political alliance in Sri Lanka. It was formed as an amalgamation of moderate Tamil parties as well as number of former rebel groups... |
1,099 |
| 13 | Sundaram Kumarasamy | DPLF Democratic People's Liberation Front Democratic People's Liberation Front , a registered political party in Sri Lanka and a front of the People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam . DPLF was founded in 1988. DPLF lost its parliamentary representation in the 2004 elections. 2001-2004 DPLF had one MP, elected from Vanni Electoral... |
962 |
| 5 | Jayasekara Arachchige Dhammika Lalith Jayasekara | UPFA United People's Freedom Alliance The United People's Freedom Alliance is a political alliance in Sri Lanka. The current leader of the United People's Freedom Alliance is Mahinda Rajapaksa and Susil Premajayantha is the general secretary of UPFA.The alliance was formed by:... |
952 |
| 15 | Sellaththurai Surenthiran | TNA Tamil National Alliance The Tamil National Alliance is a powerful minority Sri Lankan Tamil political alliance in Sri Lanka. It was formed as an amalgamation of moderate Tamil parties as well as number of former rebel groups... |
858 |
| 3 | Kandasamy Partheepan | DPLF Democratic People's Liberation Front Democratic People's Liberation Front , a registered political party in Sri Lanka and a front of the People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam . DPLF was founded in 1988. DPLF lost its parliamentary representation in the 2004 elections. 2001-2004 DPLF had one MP, elected from Vanni Electoral... |
834 |
| 1 | Iyaththurai Kanagiah | TNA Tamil National Alliance The Tamil National Alliance is a powerful minority Sri Lankan Tamil political alliance in Sri Lanka. It was formed as an amalgamation of moderate Tamil parties as well as number of former rebel groups... |
791 |
| 2 | Abdul Latif Mohamed Munawfar | SLMC Sri Lanka Muslim Congress The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress is a political party in Sri Lanka. The party was formed at a meeting held at Kattankudy in 1981 by a small study group of local Eastern Province political leaders.... |
665 |
| Sources: | |||
The TNA has nominated S. N. G. Nathan to be Chairman and Muttu Sivasami Muguntharathan to be Deputy Mayor.