Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia Municipal Council (DMMC) is the local authority for the city of Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia in Sri Lanka. The Council is responsible for providing a variety of local public services including roads, sanitation, drains, housing, libraries, public parks and recreational facilities. It has 48 members elected under the mixed electoral system where 60% of members will be elected using first-past-the-post voting and the remaining 40% through closed list proportional representation.[1][2]
Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia Municipal Council | |
|---|---|
| Type | |
| Type | |
| History | |
| Preceded by | Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia Urban Council (1940-1959) Wellawatte-Galkissa Electoral District (1947-1960) |
| Leadership | |
Stanley Dias, (SLPP) | |
Deputy Mayor | Vacant, (UNP) |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 48 |
 | |
Political groups | Government
Opposition |
| Committees | See Departments |
Length of term | Four years |
| Elections | |
| Mixed | |
Last election | 10 February 2018 |
Next election | 9 March 2023 |
| Meeting place | |
| Galle Rd, Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, Sri Lanka | |
| Website | |
| Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia Municipal Council | |
History edit
The area covered by the present Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia Municipal Council was part of the Kingdom of Kotte. It comprised a number of villages, including Pepiliyana Nedimala, Attidiya and Kalubowila. The areas south of Dehiwala together with Ratmalana were one large expanse of marshland that was sparsely populated.
In the late 16th century the Kingdom of Kotte was ruled by the Portuguese controlled king, Dharmapala. The administrative structure of the area during this time was the Gansabha system as prevailed earlier. In the early 17th century, the Dutch brought a more organised administrative structure from which a broad based taxation and legal system evolved. In the 19th century the British replaced this with a provincial administrative (Kachcheri) system, which led to the current form of local government developing.
In 1937 Dehiwela-Mount Lavinia was a local body of six wards extending over 16.3 km2 (6.3 sq mi). In 1959 this area was extended and divided into nineteen wards and given municipal status because of its rapid urban growth and for administrative reasons. In 1967 the municipal area of approximately 2,109 ha (5,210 acres) was apportioned into 29 wards, as it exists today.[3]
Demographics edit
Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia Municipality area is a multi-religious, multi-ethnic, multi-cultural city.
Population by Religion (2012)
| Population (2012) | % of Total | |
|---|---|---|
| Buddhist | 111,330 | 60.84% |
| Islam | 29,928 | 16.35% |
| Hindu | 15,978 | 8.73% |
| Roman Catholic | 12,726 | 6.95% |
| Other Christian | 8,250 | 4.51% |
| Other | 4,784 | 2.61% |
| Total | 182,996 | 100.00% |
Population by Ethnicity (2012)
| Population (2012) | % of Total | |
|---|---|---|
| Sinhalese | 128,363 | 70.15% |
| Sri Lankan Moor | 26,875 | 14.69% |
| Sri Lankan Tamil | 20,769 | 11.35% |
| Burgher | 2,609 | 1.43% |
| Indian Tamil | 2,095 | 1.14% |
| Malay | 1,102 | 0.60% |
| Other | 964 | 0.53% |
| Sri Lankan Chetty | 139 | 0.08% |
| Baratha | 80 | 0.04% |
| Total | 182,996 | 100.00% |
Wards edit
Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia municipality is the second largest in Sri Lanka covering 21.09 km2 (8.14 sq mi). It lies to the south of the Colombo Municipal Council area separated by the Dehiwala canal which acts as the northern boundary of the municipality. Borupana Road lies at the southern limits and Weras Ganga to the east.[3]
There are 29 wards in the Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia Municipal Council.[7]
| No# | Ward | Area (Ha) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wilawila | 50.2 |
| 2 | Dutugemunu | 76.9 |
| 3 | Kohuwela | 85.0 |
| 4 | Kalubowila | 50.6 |
| 5 | Hathbodhiyawatta | 40.2 |
| 6 | Saranankara | 36.5 |
| 7 | Galwala | 45.8 |
| 8 | Dehiwela West | 47.5 |
| 9 | Dehiwela East | 46.7 |
| 10 | Uddyana | 51.7 |
| 11 | Nedimala | 74.0 |
| 12 | Malwatta | 36.6 |
| 13 | Jayatilake | 39.5 |
| 14 | Karagampitiya | 40.7 |
| 15 | Kawudana East | 120.7 |
| 16 | Kawudana West | 51.8 |
| 17 | Mount Lavinia | 29.1 |
| 18 | Vidyalaya | 74.9 |
| 19 | Wattarappola | 39.5 |
| 20 | Katukurundawatta | 115.8 |
| 21 | Atthidiya North | 114.3 |
| 22 | Wathumulla | 54.6 |
| 23 | Wedikanda | 64.3 |
| 24 | Pirivena | 63.2 |
| 25 | Atthidiya South | 140.2 |
| 26 | Vihara | 68.3 |
| 27 | Ratmalana West | 38.4 |
| 28 | Ratmalana East | 106.3 |
| 29 | Kadawala | 305.6 |
| Total | 2,109 | |
Council edit
Mayors edit
- Parties
United National Party Sri Lanka Freedom Party Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna
| Name | Date of office | notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| L. V. Gooneratne | 1961-1971 | First mayor of Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia Municipal Council | |
| Susil De Silva Jayasinghe | 1990-1995 | ||
| Sunethra Ranasinghe | 1996-2002 | ||
| Danasiri Amaratunga | 2002-2005 | Youngest Mayor in Sri Lanka.[citation needed] | |
| 2005-2018 | |||
| Stanley Dias | 2018–present[8] | ||
Departments edit
The Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia Municipal Council comprises ten departments:[9]
- Department of Administration
- Department of Finance
- Department of Engineers
- Department of Mechanical Engineers
- Department of Legal
- Department of Health and Solid Waste Magagement
- Department of Sport and Social Welfare
- Department of Electrical
- Department of Fire
- Department of Health
Election results edit
2018 local government election edit
References edit
- ^ Dissanayake, Chathuri (5 December 2017). "LG polls cost to hit Rs. 4 b". Daily FT. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
- ^ Marasinghe, Sandasen; Mudalige, Disna (25 August 2017). "Amended Local Government Elections Bill approved in Parliament". Daily News. Colombo, Sri Lanka.
- ^ a b Wijayapala, SLF (October 2003). City Profile Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia Municipal Council (PDF). UN – Habitat Sustainable Cities Programme & Sustainable Sri Lankan Cities Programme (SSLCP). Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 October 2017. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
- ^ a b "Department of Census and Statistics Sri Lanka - Population by ethnicity and district according to Divisional Secretary's Division, 2012". Archived from the original on 2016-11-01. Retrieved 2018-04-13.
- ^ "Department of Census and Statistics Sri Lanka - Population by divisional secretariat division, religion and sex- 2012" (PDF).
- ^ "Department of Census and Statistics Sri Lanka - Population by divisional secretariat division, religion and sex- 2012" (PDF).
- ^ "Ward Map of Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia Municipal Council - Colombo District" (PDF). Retrieved 12 February 2018.
- ^ "SLPP's Stanley Dias elected Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia Mayor". Colombo Gazette. 26 March 2018. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
- ^ "Departments". Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia Municipal Council. Retrieved 12 February 2018.