Vavuniya Urban Council

Vavuniya Urban Council
வவுனியா நகர சபை
Type
Type
Leadership
Chairman
Iyaththurai Kanagiah, TNA
Since July 2011
Deputy Chairman
Muththuchchuwamy Muhuntharathan, TNA
Since August 2009
Secretary
V. Vasanthakumar
Seats 11
Elections
Last election
 Sri Lankan local government elections, 2009

Vavuniya Urban Council (Tamil: வவுனியா நகர சபை Vavuṉiyā Nakara Capai; VUC) is the local authority for the city of Vavuniya in northern Sri Lanka.[1] VUC is responsible for providing a variety of local public services including roads, sanitation, drains, housing, libraries, public parks and recreational facilities. It has 11 members elected using the open list proportional representation system.

Election results

1983 local government election

Results of the local government election held on 18 May 1983:[2]

Alliances and parties Votes % Seats
  Tamil United Liberation Front 5,454 77.04% 9
  United National Party 1,625 22.96% 2
Valid Votes 7,079 100.00% 11
Rejected Votes 69
Total Polled 7,148
Registered Electors 10,230
Turnout 69.87%

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.[3] The civil war prevented elections from being held for VUC until 1994 as the LTTE did not hold elections when it controlled the area..

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.[4] 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.[5] On 3 December 1997 the government announced that elections would be held for the 17 local authorities on the Jaffna peninsula.[6] 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.

On 1 January 2002 local authority elections were called for the entire country.[7][8] 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.[9][10] The normal life term of Sri Lankan local government bodies is four years. The life term of VUC 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.[11][12] On 17 September 2002 elections in the north and east were postponed, for a second time, until 25 June 2003.[13] 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 VUC using emergency powers and instead put in place special commissioners to administer the local area.[14] In June 2003 elections in the north and east were postponed, for a third time, until 24 January 2004.[15] 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.[16]

On 27 January 2006 local authority elections were called for the entire country.[17][18] It was later announced that elections would be held on 30 March 2006 across the entire country.[19] The Election Commissioner subsequently postponed the elections in the north and Batticaloa District until 30 September 2006.[20] On 23 September 2006 elections in the north and Batticaloa District were postponed until 30 June 2007.[21][22]

VUC continued to be administered by special commissioners until the 2009 elections.

2009 local government election

Results of the local government election held on 8 August 2009:[23]

Alliances and parties Votes % Seats
  Tamil National Alliance (ITAK, EPRLF (S), TELO) 4,279 34.81% 5
  Democratic People's Liberation Front (PLOTE, EPRLF (V), TULF) 4,136 33.65% 3
  United People's Freedom Alliance (EPDP, SLFP, ACMC et al.) 3,045 24.77% 2
  Sri Lanka Muslim Congress 587 4.78% 1
  United National Party 228 1.85% 0
Sri Lanka Progressive Front 10 0.08% 0
Independent 1 6 0.05% 0
Independent 3 1 0.01% 0
Independent 2 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%

The following candidates were elected:[24] Kanthar Thamotharampillai Linganathan (DPLF), 2,958 preference votes (pv); Muttu Sivasami Muguntharathan (TNA), 2,551 pv; Abdul Pari Muhammadu Sareep (UPFA), 2,270 pv; Rathinasigam Sivakumar (TNA), 1,105 pv; S. N. G. Nathan (TNA), 1,099 pv; Sundaram Kumarasamy (DPLF), 962 pv; Jayasekara Arachchige Dhammika Lalith Jayasekara (UPFA), 952 pv; Sellaththurai Surenthiran (TNA), 858 pv; Kandasamy Partheepan (DPLF), 834 pv; Iyaththurai Kanagiah (TNA), 791 pv; and Abdul Latif Mohamed Munawfar (SLMC) 665 pv.

S. N. G. Nathan (TNA) and Muttu Sivasami Muguntharathan (TNA) were appointed Chairman and Deputy Chairman respectively.[25]

S. N. G. Nathan (TNA) ceased to be member of VUC in May 2011 after ceasing to be a member of the TNA.[26] He was replaced as Chairman by Iyaththurai Kanagiah (TNA).[27] Ponnaiah Sellathurai (TNA) replaced him on VUC.[28]

Kanthar Thamotharampillai Linganathan (DPLF) resigned from VUC and was replaced by Suwampillai Thevakingsly Rajeswaran (DPLF).[29]

References

  1. ↑ "Vavuniya Urban Council". Government of Sri Lanka.
  2. ↑ Sarveswaran, K. (2005). The Tamil United Liberation Front: Rise and Decline of a Moderate Ethnic Party in Sri Lanka (1976-2000). Jawaharlal Nehru University.
  3. ↑ "TNA urges PM to put off NE local polls". TamilNet. 11 September 2002.
  4. ↑ Amit Baruha (14 June 1996). "The Army Takes Jaffna". Frontline.
  5. ↑ "Local Elections Postponed" (PDF). Tamil Times. XV (12): 5–6. 15 December 1996. ISSN 0266-4488.
  6. ↑ "Local Elections in Jaffna" (PDF). Tamil Times. XVI (12): 5–6. 15 December 1997. ISSN 0266-4488.
  7. ↑ "Local elections on March 1". TamilNet. 1 January 2002.
  8. ↑ "Local polls on March 1". The Island, Sri Lanka. 2 January 2002.
  9. ↑ "Local Govt. Ordinance amendment bill before SC". TamilNet. 12 February 2002.
  10. ↑ Weerawarne, Sumadhu (11 February 2002). "Local polls on March 20, 25". The Island, Sri Lanka.
  11. ↑ "Northeast local elections postponed for Sept. 25". TamilNet. 21 March 2002.
  12. ↑ Weerawarne, Sumadhu (22 March 2002). "Elections chief has authority to put off local polls". The Island, Sri Lanka.
  13. ↑ "NE local government polls postponed". TamilNet. 17 September 2002.
  14. ↑ "Jaffna local bodies to be administered by special commissioners". TamilNet. 14 January 2003.
  15. ↑ "Northeast elections postponed till January 24". TamilNet. 20 June 2003.
  16. ↑ "NorthEast local government elections postponed". TamilNet. 20 January 2004.
  17. ↑ "Nominations called for Local government elections". TamilNet. 27 January 2006.
  18. ↑ Satyapalan, Franklin R. (28 January 2006). "Polls chief sets LG polls nomination dates". The Island, Sri Lanka.
  19. ↑ "Local Government polls on 30 March". TamilNet. 16 February 2006.
  20. ↑ "Polling commences for 266 local councils in Sri Lanka". TamilNet. 30 March 2006.
  21. ↑ "Elections to 42 local bodies in NE postponed". TamilNet. 23 September 2006.
  22. ↑ Satyapalan, Franklin. R. (21 September 2006). "LG polls in North and East postponed again". The Island, Sri Lanka.
  23. ↑ "Local Authorities Election 2009 Final Results Vavuniya Urban Council". Department of Elections, Sri Lanka.
  24. ↑ "Local Authorities Election 2009 Final Results Vavuniya Urban Council - Preferences" (PDF). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 19 August 2009.
  25. ↑ "TNA nominates Chairman of Vavuniyaa UC". TamilNet. 12 August 2009.
  26. ↑ "PART IV (B) - LOCAL GOVERNMENT Notices under the Local Authorities Elections Ordinance LOCAL AUTHORITIES ELECTIONS ORDINANCE Notice under Section 10 A (1) (a) VAVUNIYA URBAN COUNCIL" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. 1707/17. 25 May 2011.
  27. ↑ "PART IV (B) - LOCAL GOVERNMENT Notices under the Local Authorities Elections Ordinance LOCAL AUTHORITIES ELECTIONS ORDINANCE FILLING OF A VACANCY IN THE OFFICE OF CHAIRMAN OF THE VAVUNIYA URBAN COUNCIL UNDER SECTION 65A(1) OF THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES ELECTIONS ORDINANCE (CHAPTER 262)" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. 1713/35. 7 July 2011.
  28. ↑ "PART IV (B) - LOCAL GOVERNMENT Notices under the Local Authorities Elections Ordinance FILLING OF A VACANCY IN THE OFFICE OF A MEMBER OF THE VAVUNIYA URBAN COUNCIL UNDER SECTION 65A(2) OF THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES ELECTIONS ORDINANCE (CHAPTER 262)" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. 1721/29. 3 September 2011.
  29. ↑ "PART IV (B) - LOCAL GOVERNMENT Notices under the Local Authorities Elections Ordinance FILLING OF A VACANCY IN THE OFFICE OF A MEMBER OF THE VAVUNIYA URBAN COUNCIL UNDER SECTION 65A(2) OF THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES ELECTIONS ORDINANCE (CHAPTER 262)" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. 1722/28. 10 September 2011.
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