2012 Sri Lankan provincial council elections

Provincial council elections were held in Sri Lanka on 8 September 2012 to elect 114 members to three of the nine provincial councils in the country. 3.3 million Sri Lankans were eligible to vote in the election. Elections for the Northern Provincial Council, which had been governed directly by the national government since it was demerged from the North Eastern Provincial Council in January 2007, are overdue but the government has not set a date. Elections to the remaining five provincial councils are not due till 2014 as they had their last election in 2009.

6th Sri Lankan provincial council election

8 September 2012

114 seats across 3 provincial councils
Turnout64.10%
  Majority party Minority party
 
Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa Ranil Wickremasinghe
Party UPFA UNP
Popular vote 1,027,310 557,885
Percentage 51.05% 27.72%
Councillors 63 29
Councils 2 0

  Third party Fourth party
 
Leader R. Sampanthan Rauff Hakeem
Party TNA Sri Lanka Muslim Congress
Popular vote 193,827 132,917
Percentage 9.63% 6.61%
Councillors 11 7
Councils 0 0

Winners of polling divisions. UPFA in blue, TNA in yellow and SLMC in green.

The United People's Freedom Alliance's domination of Sri Lankan elections continued as expected. It retained control of two provincial councils (North Central and Sabaragamuwa) but lost overall control in the other provincial council (Eastern), although it was the largest group.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The 3rd Sri Lankan provincial council election was held in 1999 in seven provinces. 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 (CWC) . The UNP regained control of the Central Provincial Council in 2002 after the CWC councillors crossed over to the opposition.[7]

The 4th Sri Lankan provincial council election was held in 2004 in seven provinces. The United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA), the successor to the PA, won all seven provinces.

The 5th Sri Lankan provincial council election was held in 2008/09 in eight provinces. The UPFA won all eight provinces.

Results

Overall

The UPFA won control of two provincial councils (North Central and North Central). There was no overall control in the other provincial council (Eastern) but the UPFA was the largest group.

Alliances and partiesVotes%SeatsCouncils
 United People's Freedom Alliance 1,027,31051.05%632
 United National Party557,88527.72%290
 Tamil National Alliance[13] 193,8279.63%110
 Sri Lanka Muslim Congress[12]132,9176.61%70
 Ceylon Workers' Congress 25,9851.29%20
 Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna31,3841.56%10
 National Freedom Front[11]9,5220.47%10
Independent lists23,6251.17%00
 Eelavar Democratic Front2,6930.13%00
Socialist Alliance 2,4800.12%00
United Lanka People's Party5950.03%00
United Socialist Party4850.02%00
All Lanka Tamil United Front4600.02%00
Sri Lanka Labour Party4490.02%00
United Lanka Great Council5970.03%00
Jana Setha Peramuna3980.02%00
Patriotic National Front3340.02%00
 Nava Sama Samaja Party2860.01%00
Ruhuna People's Party2040.01%00
National Development Front2030.01%00
Our National Front1630.01%00
New Sinhala Heritage1480.01%00
All Are Citizens, All Are Kings Organisation1450.01%00
Socialist Equality Party860.00%00
Liberal Party740.00%00
Muslim Liberation Front570.00%00
No overall control 1
Valid Votes 2,012,312100.00%1143
Rejected Votes 126,427
Total Polled 2,138,739
Registered Electors 3,336,417
Turnout 64.10%
Source:[14]

Eastern Province

Results of the 2nd Eastern Provincial Council election held on 8 September 2012:[15]

Alliances and partiesAmparaBatticaloaTrincomaleeBonus
Seats
Total
Votes%SeatsVotes%SeatsVotes%SeatsVotes%Seats
 United People's Freedom Alliance92,53033.66%564,19031.17%443,32428.38%32200,04431.58%14
 Tamil National Alliance44,74916.28%2104,68250.83%644,39629.08%30193,82730.59%11
 Sri Lanka Muslim Congress83,65830.43%423,08311.21%126,17617.15%20132,91720.98%7
 United National Party48,02817.47%32,4341.18%024,43916.01%1074,90111.82%4
Independent lists1,1780.43%09,0194.38%02,1641.42%0012,3611.95%0
National Freedom Front9,5226.24%109,5221.50%1
 Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna2,3050.84%0720.03%07770.51%003,1540.50%0
 Eelavar Democratic Front5310.19%01,7770.86%03850.25%002,6930.43%0
Socialist Alliance1,4890.54%03790.18%06120.40%002,4800.39%0
All Lanka Tamil United Front760.03%03840.25%004600.07%0
United Socialist Party1030.04%0370.02%01490.10%002890.05%0
Sri Lanka Labour Party1110.04%0500.02%01070.07%002680.04%0
Our National Front1630.08%001630.03%0
United Lanka Great Council100.00%0150.01%0970.06%001220.02%0
United Lanka People's Party740.03%0160.01%00900.01%0
Jana Setha Peramuna310.01%0190.01%0350.02%00850.01%0
Patriotic National Front70.00%0780.05%00850.01%0
Muslim Liberation Front420.02%0150.01%00570.01%0
Ruhuna People's Party130.00%030.00%00160.00%0
Valid Votes 274,935100.00%14205,936100.00%11152,663100.00%102633,534100.00%37
Rejected Votes 16,74417,22311,32445,291
Total Polled 291,679223,159163,987678,825
Registered Electors 441,287347,099245,3631,033,749
Turnout 66.10%64.29%66.83%65.67%

North Central Province

Results of the 6th North Central Provincial Council election held on 8 September 2012:[16]

Alliances and partiesAnuradhapuraPolonnaruwaBonus
Seats
Total
Votes%SeatsVotes%SeatsVotes%Seats
 United People's Freedom Alliance234,38762.71%13104,16558.15%62338,55261.23%21
 United National Party126,18433.76%769,94339.04%40196,12735.47%11
 Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna11,6843.13%14,3822.45%0016,0662.91%1
Independent lists9120.24%02720.15%001,1840.21%0
United Lanka People's Party2260.06%002260.04%0
Jana Setha Peramuna1780.05%0420.02%002200.04%0
United Socialist Party1960.11%001960.04%0
United Lanka Great Council530.01%0910.05%001440.03%0
Sri Lanka Labour Party540.01%0200.01%00740.01%0
Patriotic National Front530.01%0190.01%00720.01%0
Ruhuna People's Party510.01%0160.01%00670.01%0
Valid Votes 373,782100.00%21179,146100.00%102552,928100.00%33
Rejected Votes 18,2189,79228,010
Total Polled 392,000188,938580,938
Registered Electors 606,508294,365900,873
Turnout 64.63%64.18%64.49%

Sabaragamuwa Province

Results of the 6th Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council election held on 8 September 2012:[17]

Alliances and partiesKegalleRatnapuraBonus
Seats
Total
Votes%SeatsVotes%SeatsVotes%Seats
 United People's Freedom Alliance213,73458.08%11274,98060.06%152488,71459.18%28
 United National Party130,41735.44%6156,44034.17%80286,85734.73%14
 Ceylon Workers' Congress8,9712.44%117,0143.72%1025,9853.15%2
 Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna4,5191.23%07,6451.67%0012,1641.47%0
Independent lists9,3562.54%07240.16%0010,0801.22%0
United Lanka Great Council2390.06%0920.02%003310.04%0
 Nava Sama Samaja Party870.02%01990.04%002860.03%0
United Lanka People's Party2790.06%002790.03%0
National Development Front2030.06%002030.02%0
Patriotic National Front1060.03%0710.02%001770.02%0
New Sinhala Heritage1480.03%001480.02%0
All Are Citizens, All Are Kings Organisation700.02%0750.02%001450.02%0
Ruhuna People's Party460.01%0750.02%001210.01%0
Sri Lanka Labour Party700.02%0370.01%001070.01%0
Jana Setha Peramuna930.03%00930.01%0
Socialist Equality Party860.02%00860.01%0
Liberal Party740.02%00740.01%0
Valid Votes 367,997100.00%18457,853100.00%242825,850100.00%44
Rejected Votes 29,06524,06153,126
Total Polled 397,062481,914878,976
Registered Electors 631,981769,8141,401,795
Turnout 62.83%62.60%62.70%

References and footnotes

  1. "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. "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 (Sri Lanka). Archived from the original on 1 May 2009.
  7. Sri Nissanka, Jayantha (30 April 2002). "Central Provincial Council : UNF takes over". Daily News (Sri Lanka). Archived from the original on 14 October 2012. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
  8. The Ceylon Workers' Congress contested with the Democratic People's Front and Up-Country People's Front in two electoral districts and with the UPFA in other electoral districts.
  9. The Communist Party of Sri Lanka contested with the Socialist Alliance in three electoral districts and with the UPFA in other electoral districts.
  10. The Lanka Sama Samaja Party contested with the Socialist Alliance in three electoral districts and with the UPFA in other electoral districts.
  11. The National Freedom Front contested separately in one electoral district and with the UPFA in other electoral districts.
  12. The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress contested separately in three electoral districts and with the UPFA in other electoral districts.
  13. The TNA contested under and symbol of the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi.
  14. "Provincial Council Elections 2012". Department of Elections, Sri Lanka.
  15. "Provincial Council Elections 2012: Eastern Province". Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 21 June 2013.
  16. "Provincial Council Elections 2012: North Central Province". Department of Elections, Sri Lanka.
  17. "Provincial Council Elections 2012: Sabaragamuwa Province". Department of Elections, Sri Lanka.
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