Vadamarachchi South West Divisional Council

Vadamarachchi South West Divisional Council
வடமராட்சி தென் மேற்கு பிரதேச சபை
Type
Type
Leadership
Chairman
Ponnaijah Vijakesu, TNA
Since July 2011
Deputy Chairman
Ilayathampi Santhasoruban, TNA
Since July 2011
Seats 18
Elections
Last election
 Sri Lankan local government elections, 2011

Vadamarachchi South West Divisional Council (Tamil: வடமராட்சி தென் மேற்கு பிரதேச சபை Vaṭamarāṭci Teṉ Mēṟku Piratēca Capai; VSWDC) is the local authority for Vadamarachchi South West DS Division in northern Sri Lanka. VSWDC is responsible for providing a variety of local public services including roads, sanitation, drains, housing, libraries, public parks and recreational facilities. It has 18 members elected using the open list proportional representation system.

History

In 1987 there was a major re-organisation of local government in Sri Lanka. District Development Councils were abolished and replaced by Divisional Councils (Pradeshiya Sabha or Pradesha Sabhai). The Pradeshiya Sabha Act No. 15 of 1987 was passed by Parliament on 15 April 1987 and on 1 January 1988 257 Divisional Councils started functioning. The Divisional Councils were generally commensurate with their namesake Divisional Secretary's Divisions. Vadamarachchi South West Divisional Council was established as the local authority for the Vadamarachchi South West DS Division. However, according to the pro-LTTE TamilNet, the Sri Lankan government had suspended all local government in the north and east of the country in 1983 using emergency regulations.[1] The civil war prevented elections from being held for SWDC until 1998 as the LTTE did not hold elections when it controlled the area.[2]

In March 1994 elections were held in the east and in Vavuniya in the north. However, elections weren't held in other areas of the north, including the Jaffna peninsula, because most of these areas were at that time controlled by the rebel Tamil Tigers. In August 1995 the Sri Lankan military launched an offensive to recapture the Jaffna peninsula. By December 1995 the military had captured most of the Valikamam region of the peninsula, including the city of Jaffna. By 16 May 1996 the military had recaptured the entire peninsula.[3] In late 1996 the government announced elections would be held for 23 local authorities in Jaffna District, Kilinochchi District, Mannar District and Vavuniya District but following opposition from Tamil political parties postponed them.[4] On 3 December 1997 the government announced that elections would be held for the 17 local authorities on the Jaffna peninsula.[5] The Tamil political parties were still opposed to holding elections as "normalcy" hadn't returned to the peninsula. The peninsula was under the firm grip of the Sri Lankan military and civil government had little, if any, role in the administration of the peninsula. The Tamil Tigers were also firmly against the elections being held. Despite these objections the elections were held on 29 January 1998.

Election results

1998 local government election

Results of the local government election held on 29 January 1998:[6][7]

Alliances and parties Votes % Seats
  Eelam People's Democratic Party 3,888 45.11% 9
  Democratic People's Liberation Front (PLOTE) 2,940 34.11% 6
  Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization 1,236 14.34% 2
  Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front 554 6.43% 0
Valid Votes 8,618 100.00% 17
Rejected Votes 1,868
Total Polled 10,486
Registered Electors 45,214
Turnout 23.19%

On 1 January 2002 local authority elections were called for the entire country.[8][9] It was later announced that elections would be held on 25 March 2002 in the north and east, and on 20 March 2002 in the rest of the country.[10][11] The normal life term of Sri Lankan local government bodies is four years. The life term of VSWDC expired in February 2002 but the central government extended this by another year, as the law allows. On 21 March 2002 the Election Commissioner announced that the elections in the north and east, except for eight local authorities in Ampara District, had been postponed until 25 September 2002.[12][13] On 17 September 2002 elections in the north and east were postponed, for a second time, until 25 June 2003.[14] Elections should have been held when the extension expired in February 2003 but in January 2003, following a request from the Tamil National Alliance, the central government instead dissolved VSWDC using emergency powers and instead put in place special commissioners to administer the local area.[15] In June 2003 elections in the north and east were postponed, for a third time, until 24 January 2004.[16] In January 2004 elections in the north and east, except for local authorities in Ampara District, were postponed, for a fourth time, until 23 October 2004.[17]

On 27 January 2006 local authority elections were called for the entire country.[18][19] It was later announced that elections would be held on 30 March 2006 across the entire country.[20] The Election Commissioner subsequently postponed the elections in the north and Batticaloa District until 30 September 2006.[21] On 23 September 2006 elections in the north and Batticaloa District were postponed until 30 June 2007.[22][23]

VSWDC continued to be administered by special commissioners until the 2011 elections.

2011 local government election

Results of the local government election held on 23 July 2011:[24]

Alliances and parties Votes % Seats
  Tamil National Alliance (EPRLF (S), ITAK, PLOTE, TELO, TULF) 12,454 81.46% 15
  United People's Freedom Alliance (EPDP, SLFP et al.) 2,522 16.50% 3
  United National Party 290 1.90% 0
Independent 22 0.14% 0
Valid Votes 15,288 100.00% 18
Rejected Votes 1,386
Total Polled 16,674
Registered Electors 32,539
Turnout 51.24%

The following candidates were elected:[25] Ponnaijah Vijakesu (TNA), 3,962 preference votes (pv); Ilayathampi Santhasoruban (TNA), 3,026 pv; Ponnampalam Kugathaas (TNA), 3,021 pv; Kanthan Rathnam (TNA), 2,537 pv; Kanthan Paranchothi (TNA), 1,923 pv; Ponnaijah Ganesh (TNA), 1,791 pv; Ponnan Thampimuthu (TNA), 1,709 pv; Aalvaapillai Mathijarasan (TNA), 1,694 pv; Arunachalam Santhirasegaram (UPFA), 1,569 pv; Majilu Saththijanathan (TNA), 1,460 pv; Nadarasa Kanthasami (TNA), 1,245 pv; Seevarathnam Rathneswaran (TNA), 1,220 pv; Earampu Rasaijah (TNA), 1,061 pv; Muthaijah Jeganathan (TNA), 1,012 pv; Kanakaratnam Balasubramanijam (TNA), 776 pv; Inthirarasa Thuseekaran (UPFA), 630 pv; Sethulingam Paliraj (TNA), 623 pv; and Sinnathamby Kanapathippillai (UPFA), 621 pv.

Ponnaijah Vijakesu (TNA) and Ilayathampi Santhasoruban (TNA) were appointed Chairman and Deputy Chairman respectively.[26]

References

  1. ↑ "TNA urges PM to put off NE local polls". TamilNet. 11 September 2002.
  2. ↑ "Tight security for poll in Sri Lanka's Jaffna peninsula". BBC News. 29 January 1998.
  3. ↑ Amit Baruha (14 June 1996). "The Army Takes Jaffna". Frontline.
  4. ↑ "Local Elections Postponed". Tamil Times XV (12): 5–6. 15 December 1996. ISSN 0266-4488.
  5. ↑ "Local Elections in Jaffna". Tamil Times XVI (12): 5–6. 15 December 1997. ISSN 0266-4488.
  6. ↑ "Election commissioner releases results". TamilNet. 30 January 1998.
  7. ↑ D.B.S. Jeyaraj (15 February 1998). "The Jaffna Elections". Tamil Times XVII (2): 12–15. ISSN 0266-4488.
  8. ↑ "Local elections on March 1". TamilNet. 1 January 2002.
  9. ↑ "Local polls on March 1". The Island, Sri Lanka. 2 January 2002.
  10. ↑ "Local Govt. Ordinance amendment bill before SC". TamilNet. 12 February 2002.
  11. ↑ Weerawarne, Sumadhu (11 February 2002). "Local polls on March 20, 25". The Island, Sri Lanka.
  12. ↑ "Northeast local elections postponed for Sept. 25". TamilNet. 21 March 2002.
  13. ↑ Weerawarne, Sumadhu (22 March 2002). "Elections chief has authority to put off local polls". The Island, Sri Lanka.
  14. ↑ "NE local government polls postponed". TamilNet. 17 September 2002.
  15. ↑ "Jaffna local bodies to be administered by special commissioners". TamilNet. 14 January 2003.
  16. ↑ "Northeast elections postponed till January 24". TamilNet. 20 June 2003.
  17. ↑ "NorthEast local government elections postponed". TamilNet. 20 January 2004.
  18. ↑ "Nominations called for Local government elections". TamilNet. 27 January 2006.
  19. ↑ Satyapalan, Franklin R. (28 January 2006). "Polls chief sets LG polls nomination dates". The Island, Sri Lanka.
  20. ↑ "Local Government polls on 30 March". TamilNet. 16 February 2006.
  21. ↑ "Polling commences for 266 local councils in Sri Lanka". TamilNet. 30 March 2006.
  22. ↑ "Elections to 42 local bodies in NE postponed". TamilNet. 23 September 2006.
  23. ↑ Satyapalan, Franklin. R. (21 September 2006). "LG polls in North and East postponed again". The Island, Sri Lanka.
  24. ↑ "Local Authorities Election - 23.07.2011 Jaffna District Vadamaradchi South West Pradeshiya Sabha". Department of Elections, Sri Lanka.
  25. ↑ "PREFERENCES" (PDF). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka.
  26. ↑ "PART IV (B) — LOCAL GOVERNMENT Notices under the Local Authorities Elections Ordinance LOCAL AUTHORITIES ELECTIONS ORDINANCE (CHAPTER 262) Notice under Section 66(2)" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. 1716/32. 30 July 2011.
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