Sri Lankan provincial council elections, 1999

3rd Sri Lankan provincial council election
Sri Lanka
25 January 1999, 6 April 1999, 10 June 1999
380 seats across 7 provincial councils
  First party Second party
 
Leader Chandrika Kumaratunga Ranil Wickremasinghe
Party People's Alliance United National Party
Popular vote 3,133,658 2,761,864
Percentage 46.88% 41.31%
Councillors 187 152
Councils 2 0

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, 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.

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 declaraing 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.

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 / Alliance Votes % Seats
People's Alliance13,133,65846.88%187
United National Party2,761,86441.31%152
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna417,1686.24%25
National Union of Workers (CWC, DWC)145,3502.17%9
Mahajana Eksath Peramuna87,1651.30%3
New Left Front63,5780.95%1
Up-Country People's Front25,3690.38%2
Independents22,4940.34%0
Muslim United Liberation Front10,0510.15%0
Sri Lanka Muslim Congress17,2300.11%1
Liberal Party5,3290.08%0
Sri Lanka Progressive Front2,5570.04%0
Sinhalaye Mahasammatha Bhoomiputra Pakshaya1,5400.02%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 % Seats Votes % Seats Votes % Seats Votes % Seats
People's Alliance247,25047.54%95,11551.38%79,26429.18%2421,62943.17%26
United National Party232,93444.79%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 Peramuna16,0653.09%18,0104.33%4,9091.81%28,9842.97%1
Up-Country People's Front22,8968.43%222,8962.34%2
Mahajana Eksath Peramuna4,4330.85%1,4530.78%8110.30%6,6970.69%0
Independents8530.16%5160.28%2,7311.01%4,1000.42%0
New Left Front3,5411.30%3,5410.36%0
Liberal Party8810.17%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 % Seats Votes % Seats Votes % Seats
People's Alliance156,29154.09%75,46652.01%2231,75753.39%19
United National Party111,28538.51%60,02241.37%171,30739.46%12
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna14,1974.91%8,4985.86%22,6955.23%2
New Left Front4,2591.47%4,2590.98%0
Mahajana Eksath Peramuna1,1500.40%3940.27%1,5440.36%0
Independents8610.30%8610.20%0
Muslim United Liberation Front7980.28%7980.18%0
Liberal Party3880.27%3880.09%0
Sinhalaye Mahasammatha Bhoomiputra Pakshaya3340.23%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 % Seats Votes % Seats Votes % Seats
People's Alliance405,43156.16%20160,72256.97%82566,15356.39%30
United National Party273,89237.94%13105,87637.53%6379,76837.82%19
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna31,2214.32%210,7593.81%141,9804.18%3
New Left Front9,4561.31%03,3611.19%012,8171.28%0
Muslim United Liberation Front9710.13%05420.19%01,5130.15%0
Liberal Party6760.09%02020.07%08780.09%0
Independents3090.04%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 % Seats Votes % Seats Votes % Seats
People's Alliance165,04147.70%191,50247.92%2356,54347.82%22
United National Party158,50345.81%175,91244.02%334,41544.85%19
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna15,5374.49%117,2004.30%132,7374.39%2
National Union of Workers (CWC)4,3511.26%7,5861.90%11,9371.60%1
New Left Front5,0471.26%5,0470.68%0
Mahajana Eksath Peramuna1,5520.45%1,6240.41%3,1760.43%0
Liberal Party9830.28%9830.13%0
Independents5920.15%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 % Seats Votes % Seats Votes % Seats Votes % Seats
People's Alliance214,71446.70%1189,48339.11%6157,76246.36%82461,95944.90%27
United National Party188,92141.09%982,78636.19%5130,84338.45%7402,55039.13%21
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna38,8178.44%247,29620.67%340,27611.84%2126,38912.28%7
Independents5,1201.11%02,8241.23%06,0411.78%013,9851.36%0
New Left Front4,9811.08%04,8692.13%02,9060.85%012,7561.24%0
Mahajana Eksath Peramuna5,4961.20%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 Party3400.07%01500.07%02980.09%07880.08%0
Muslim United Liberation Front7390.16%07390.07%0
Sinhalaye Mahasammatha Bhoomiputra Pakshaya3990.12%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 % Seats Votes % Seats Votes % Seats
People's Alliance140,29344.69%66,87045.35%2207,16344.90%17
United National Party137,43743.78%65,34044.31%202,77743.95%14
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna12,1063.86%10,2926.98%22,3984.85%2
National Union of Workers (CWC)19,2246.12%1,9271.31%21,1514.58%1
Mahajana Eksath Peramuna1,9800.63%4190.28%2,3990.52%0
Up-Country People's Front2,4730.79%2,4730.54%0
New Left Front2,1821.48%2,1820.47%0
Independents4070.13%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 % Seats Votes % Seats Votes % Seats Votes % Seats
People's Alliance313,57638.98%17376,17648.30%17198,70244.08%102888,45443.68%46
United National Party362,63645.07%19317,69840.79%15199,05444.16%10879,38843.23%44
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna55,3616.88%358,2777.48%328,3476.29%2141,9856.98%8
Mahajana Eksath Peramuna43,0085.35%215,4921.99%17,1491.59%065,6493.23%3
New Left Front9,1401.14%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 Congress7,2301.60%17,2300.36%1
Muslim United Liberation Front5,0870.63%01,3470.17%05670.13%07,0010.34%0
Liberal Party1,4110.18%01,4110.07%0
Sri Lanka Progressive Front4950.06%06630.09%02090.05%01,3670.07%0
Independents1,3260.16%01,3260.07%0
Sinhalaye Mahasammatha Bhoomiputra Pakshaya8070.10%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%

References

  1. 1 2 "Indo Sri Lanka Agreement, 1987". TamilNation.
  2. ↑ "Introduction". Official Website of the Government of Sri Lanka. Government of Sri Lanka.
  3. ↑ "Amendments to the 1978 Constitution". Official Website of the Government of Sri Lanka. Government of Sri Lanka.
  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.
  6. ↑ Ferdinando, Shamindra (10 September 2000). "I'm no traitor, says Perumal". Sunday Island.
Other sources
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