Galle Municipal Council

The Galle Municipal Council is the local council for Galle, the capital city of Southern Province of Sri Lanka,[1] the third level administrative division of the country. The council was established under the Municipalities Ordinance of 1865 as the third municipal council of Sri Lanka. Wijeyananda Dahanayake was the first elected mayor of the city, who was appointed in 1939. He later went on to become the fifth Prime Minister of Ceylon. The current mayor of Galle is Priyantha Godagama Sahabandu.

Galle Municipal Council
Type
Type
Leadership
Mayor
Priyantha Godagama Sahabandu, (SLPP)
since 23 March 2018
Seats35
Elections
Open list proportional representation
Last election
10 February 2018
Next election
9 March 2023
Website
https://galle.mc.gov.lk/

Geography edit

The Galle Four Gravets is 18.7 km2 (7.2 sq mi) in area. The average elevation above sea level is 15 m (49 ft).

Administrative units edit

Galle Municipal Council is divided into 50 Grama Niladhari Divisions (GN Divisions), with seven villages.[specify]

Population edit

The current population of Galle Four Gravets area, according to 2011 Census, is 101,159, a decline from the population of 103,246 in 2001.

Ethnicity in Galle (2011)
Population Percent
Sinhalese
67.0%
Muslims
32.3%
Tamils
0.8%
Others
0.13%
Ethnicity Population[2] % Of Total
Sinhalese 67,470 67.0
Sri Lankan Moors 32,711 32.3
Sri Lankan Tamils 709 0.7
Indian Tamils 129 0.8
Other (including Burgher, Malay) 140 0.13
Total 101,159 100

Mayor edit

The Mayor of Galle is the head of Galle Municipal Council and his office is located at the Galle Town Hall. The current mayor is Priyantha Godagama Sahabandu , who was elected into office, subsequent to the 2018 Sri Lankan local elections, in a secret ballot held on 23 March 2018. Sahabandu was elected to the position of mayor obtaining 20 votes to 11 over his rival candidate, Jilith Nishantha of the UNP.[3]

Representation edit

The Galle Municipal Council is divided into 15 wards and is represented by 35 councillors, elected using an open list proportional representation system.[4]

2018 local government election edit

Results of the local government election held on 8 February 2018:[5]

Alliances and parties Votes % Seats
  United National Party 22,270 40.17% 14
  Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna 20,096 36.25% 13
  United People's Freedom Alliance (NC, ACMC, SLFP et al.) 5,532 9.98% 3
  Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna 5,177 9.34% 3
United National Freedom Front 1,265 2.28% 1
Independent 2 896 1.62% 1
Independent 1 206 0.37% 0
Valid Votes 55,442 100.00% 35
Rejected Votes 1,026
Total Polled 56,468
Registered Electors 71,858
Turnout 78.58%

2011 local government election edit

Results of the local government election held on 8 October 2011:[6][7]

Alliances and parties Votes % Seats
  United People's Freedom Alliance (NC, ACMC, SLFP et al.) 23,539 55.39% 11
  United National Party 16,137 37.97% 7
  Sri Lanka Muslim Congress 1,085 2.55% 1
  Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna 164 1.44% 0
Independent 3 87 0.20% 0
Janasetha Peramuna 17 0.04% 0
Independent 4 10 0.02% 0
United Lanka Great Council (Eksath Lanka Maha Sabha) 9 0.02% 0
Independent 6 9 0.02% 0
Independent 2 8 0.02% 0
Independent 1 6 0.01% 0
Ruhuna People's Party (Ruhunu Janatha Party) 4 0.01% 0
Independent 5 3 0.01% 0
Valid Votes 42,494 100.00% 19
Rejected Votes 1,179
Total Polled 43,673
Registered Electors 64,720
Turnout 67.48%

The Galle Municipal Council has five standing committees each headed by committee chairman. The standing committees are Finance and Tender, Works and Solid Waste, Health and Sanitisation, Electricity and Water, and Environment.

References edit

  1. ^ Galle City Profile
  2. ^ "Population by Ethnicity according to D.S. Division and Sector: Galle District (Provisional)". Census of Population Housing 2011. Department of Census and Statistics. 2011. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  3. ^ "SLPP's Priyantha Godage elected Galle Mayor". Daily Mirror. 23 March 2018. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
  4. ^ "Compilation of Local Authority - Municipal Councils". Ministry of Local Governments and Provincial Councils. Archived from the original on 20 December 2014. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  5. ^ "Local Authorities Election Results - 2018 - Galle Municipal Council". Adadarena. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
  6. ^ "Local Authorities Election - 08.10.2011 Galle Municipal Council". Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 24 October 2014.
  7. ^ "2011 Local Government Elections - Galle Municipal Council". Sri Lanka Elections. Archived from the original on 16 August 2014. Retrieved 23 October 2014.

External links edit