Vavuniya South Sinhala Divisional Council

Vavuniya South Sinhala Divisional Council வவுனியா தெற்கு சிங்கள பிரதேச சபை
Type
Type	Local authority
Leadership
Chairman	Subasinge Mudiyansalage Kasun Thiyagasri Bandara Alagalla, UPFA Since March 2011
Deputy Chairman	Ajayathilaka Vanni Hamighe, UPFA Since March 2011
Seats	9
Elections
Last election	Sri Lankan local government elections, 2011

Vavuniya South Sinhala Divisional Council (Tamil: வவுனியா தெற்கு சிங்கள பிரதேச சபை Vavuṉiyā Teṟku Ciṅkaḷa Piratēca Capai; VSSDC) is the local authority for Vavuniya South DS Division in northern Sri Lanka. VSSDC is responsible for providing a variety of local public services including roads, sanitation, drains, housing, libraries, public parks and recreational facilities. It has 9 members elected using the open list proportional representation system. VSSDC is sometimes called Vavuniya South Divisional Council.

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. Vavuniya South Sinhala Divisional Council was established as the local authority for Vavuniya South 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. The civil war prevented elections from being held for VSSDC until 2011 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. 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. On 3 December 1997 the government announced that elections would be held for the 17 local authorities on the Jaffna peninsula. The elections were held on 29 January 1998.

On 1 January 2002 local authority elections were called for the entire country. 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. The normal life term of Sri Lankan local government bodies is four years. 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. On 17 September 2002 elections in the north and east were postponed, for a second time, until 25 June 2003. In June 2003 elections in the north and east were postponed, for a third time, until 24 January 2004. 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.

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

Election results

2011 local government election

Results of the local government election held on 17 March 2011:

Alliances and parties		Votes	%	Seats
	United People's Freedom Alliance (SLFP et al.)	4,382	70.38%	7
	United National Party	985	15.82%	1
	Independent	694	11.15%	1
	Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna	165	2.65%	0
Valid Votes		6,226	100.00%	9
Rejected Votes		356
Total Polled		6,582
Registered Electors		9,633
Turnout		68.33%

The following candidates were elected: Subasinge Mudiyansalage Kasun Thiyagasri Bandara Alagalla (UPFA); Subasinghe Mudiyanselage Jayawardanage Dharmakeerthi (Ind); Ajayathilaka Vanni Hamighe (UPFA); Nanghamighe Piyadasa (UPFA); Sarukkal Patabadige Sampath Priyantha Piyathunga (UPFA); Pradeep Kumara Punchihewa (UNP); Karunadasage Wasantha Rajakaruna (UPFA); Susantha Pushpagith Rajakaruna (UPFA); and Vimala Senage Dharsana Prasad Vimalasana (UPFA).

Subasinge Mudiyansalage Kasun Thiyagasri Bandara Alagalla (UPFA) and Ajayathilaka Vanni Hamighe (UPFA) were appointed Chairman and Deputy Chairman respectively.