2013 Sri Lankan Provincial Council Election Saturday Sep 21,2013

The Sri Lankan Provincial Council Election is scheduled on Saturday Sep 21,2013 to elect 148 members to 3 of the nine provincial councils in the country -

• Northern Provincial Council
• Central Provincial Council and
• North Western Provincial Council

4.4 million Sri Lankans will be eligible to vote in the election

Nominations took place between July 25 - Aug 1,2013

210 nominations (131 form registered political parties, 79 from independent groups) were received by the returning officers of which 201 nominations (126 form registered political parties, 75 from independent groups) were accepted and nine nominations (five form registered political parties, four from independent groups) were rejected

The UPFA, UNP and Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna are contesting in all ten districts, the Tamil National Alliance is contesting in the five districts in Northern Province whilst the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, a constituent party of the UPFA, is contesting separately in seven districts

This will be the first election for the Northern Provincial Council in 25 years

Northern Province holds historic polls Saturday Sep 21,2013

 

The main contest is between the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) — which has fielded retired Supreme Court Judge C. V. Wigneswaran as its chief ministerial candidate — and the Sri Lankan government, represented by its two key candidates S. Thavarajah of the Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP); and Angajan Ramanathan, of the Sri Lankan Freedom Party (SLFP). 

Voters queuing up at a school in Jaffna to cast their vote in the first ever Northern Provincial Council elections since 1988

 
Tamil voters wait to cast their votes at a polling station, during the election to the Northern Province, in Jaffna on Saturday Sep 21,2013

Still recovering from the aftermath of a three decade-long conflict that ended in 2009, the region is to hold the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) elections on Sep 21,2013

In the four years since the war ended, people have encountered a range of issues such as heavy militarisation; high surveillance by the military intelligence; an absence of employment opportunities; and complaints related to disappearances. People have voiced their concerns at every available opportunity on these issues, for instance during the recent visit of United Nations Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay

This is the first time since 1988 that provincial council elections are being held in Northern Sri Lanka.

Campaigning has largely been muted — public meetings are allowed, but door-to-door campaign by candidates is banned by the election commission

The Sri Lankan Election Commission said that 68% of the 719000 voters have exercise their franchise

Tamil parties sweep northern province polls in Sri Lanka

Read more at: http://ibnlive.in.com/news/tamil-parties-sweep-northern-province-polls-in-sri-lanka/423776-2.html?utm_source=ref_article

Tamil National Alliance(TNA)Wins Northern Province Election

According to the reports TNA has won 30 of the 38 seats in the 38-Member Northern Provincial Council
TNA's C Wigneswaran,a retired judge of Sri Lanka's Supreme Court, is set to become the CM

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaka's UPFA won 7 seats and SLMC 1 seat

According to the Tamil Eelam mouthpiece ''Tamil Net'',more than 66% of the voters have voted for TNA


C V Wigneswaran takes oath as Northern Province CM Monday Oct 07,2013

Former Supreme Court judge C.V. Wigneswaran was on Monday Oct 07,2013 sworn in the first chief minister of Sri Lanka’s northern province before President Mahinda Rajapaksa  after his party, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), won the provincial council elections held Sep 21,2013

The TNA, which contested the elections as the Illangai Tamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK) under the house symbol, swept to victory securing 67.52% of the votes. 

TNA leader R. Sampanthan said the decision for Justice Wigneswaran to take oath before the President was made in consonance with the commitment of the TNA to ensure that the Tamil people are able to live in security, safeguard their self respect and dignity