Jaffna Municipal Council

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Jaffna Municipal Council (Tamil: யாழ்ப்பாணம் மாநகர சபை, romanized: Yāḻppāṇam Mānakara Capai; JMC) is the local authority for the city of Jaffna in northern Sri Lanka. JMC is responsible for providing a variety of local public services including roads, sanitation, drains, housing, libraries, public parks and recreational facilities. Established in January 1949 as a successor to Jaffna Urban Council, it currently has 45 members elected using the mixed electoral system.

Founded1 January 1949; 77 years ago (1949-01-01)
PrecededbyJaffna Urban Council
Vivekanandaraja Madivadani, ITAK
since 13 June 2025
Quick facts Jaffna Municipal Council யாழ்ப்பாணம் மாநகர சபை, Type ...
Jaffna Municipal Council

யாழ்ப்பாணம் மாநகர சபை
Coat of arms or logo
Type
Type
History
Founded1 January 1949; 77 years ago (1949-01-01)
Preceded byJaffna Urban Council
Leadership
Vivekanandaraja Madivadani, ITAK
since 13 June 2025
R. T. Jeyaseelan
Structure
Seats45
Political groups
Government (19)
  •   ITAK (13)
  •   EPDP (4)
  •   UNP (1)
  •   SJB (1)

Opposition (26)

Length of term
4 years + 1 year
Elections
Mixed
Last election
6 May 2025
Next election
TBD
Website
Jaffna Municipal Council
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History

The first organised local government for the city of Jaffna was the sanitary board established under the Sanitary Boards Ordinance No. 18 of 1892.[1] The board consisted of the local Government Agent (chair) and other local officials from the British administration.[1] A local board was established in July 1906 under the Local Boards Ordinance No. 13 of 1898.[1] The board consisted of six members, three official (including the Government Agent who was chair) and three unofficial representing three wards - central, eastern and western.[1] The local board was responsible for establishing the grand bazaar, small bazaar in Gurunagar and the rest house.[1]

A ten-member urban district council (UDC) was established in January 1923 under the Local Government Ordinance No. 11 of 1920.[1] Two of its members were nominated and eight were elected, representing eight wards.[1] The UDC had an area of 8½ square miles and a population of 42,346.[1] The UDC, which was based in a small office at Jaffna Kachcheri, required new premises and the Ridgeway Memorial Hall on the esplanade was identified as a suitable location.[1] Ridgeway Memorial Hall was demolished and new premises, whose foundations were laid by chairman R. R. Nalliah, constructed.[1] The building was formally opened by Governor Reginald Edward Stubbs on 9 June 1936.[1] Subsequently, a town hall was built on the site and officially opened by Waithilingam Duraiswamy, Speaker of the State Council.[1]

A twelve-member Jaffna Urban Council was established in January 1940 under the Urban Councils Ordinance No. 61 of 1939.[1] Two of its members were nominated and ten were elected.[1] The urban council had the same powers and functions as the UDC but franchise was extended to include women.[1] A fifteen-member Jaffna Municipal Council was established in January 1949 under the Municipal Council Ordinance No. 29 of 1947.[1] The fifteen members were elected from fifteen wards.[1] A lack of storage space resulted in the municipal council purchasing premises east of Front Street in 1955.[1] The number of members and wards was increased to 23 in 1968.[1] Mayor of Jaffna Alfred Duraiappah was assassinated by the militant Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on 27 July 1975.[2][3][4]

On 10 April 1985 the LTTE attacked Jaffna police station, located next to the town hall, causing serious damage to the town hall.[5][6] Numerous other municipal council facilities including the library, rest house, open air theatre and grand bazaar were damaged beyond repair during the civil war.[1] As a result of the damage caused to the town hall the municipal council was forced to re-locate to premises on Point Pedro Road on land leased from Nallur Kandaswamy temple.[7]

The Local Authorities (Amendment) Act Nos. 20 and 24 of 1987 changed the method of electing all local authority members from the first past the post using wards to proportional representation using open lists.[8][9] Mayors Sarojini Yogeswaran and Pon Sivapalan were assassinated by the LTTE on 17 May 1998 and 11 September 1998 respectively.[10][11][12][13][14]

On 10 October 2012 Parliament passed the Local Authorities (Special Provisions) Act, No. 21 of 2012 and Local Authorities Elections (Amendment) Act, No. 22 of 2012, changing the electoral system for electing local authority members from open list proportional representation to a mixed electoral system whereby 70% of members would be elected using first past the post voting and the remaining 30% through closed list proportional representation.[15][16][17][18] On 25 August 2017 Parliament passed Local Authorities Elections (Amendment) Act, No. 16 of 2017 which, amongst things, changed the ratio between first past the post and proportional representation from 70:30 to 60:40.[19][20][21]

Wards

JMC currently has 27 single member wards.[22][23]

More information Wardno., Ward name ...
Ward
no.

Ward name
VOD
no.

Village officer division name
1Vannarpannai NorthJ098Vannarpannai North
J099Vannarpannai North West (part)
2Kantharmadam North WestJ100Vannarpannai North East
J102Kantharmadam North West
J123Kokuvil South East (part)
3Kantharmadam North EastJ103Kantharmadam North East
4Nallur IrajathaniJ106Nallur North
J107Nallur Irajathani
J108Nallur South
5Sangiliyan ThoppuJ109Sangiliyan Thoppu
6AriyalaiJ094Ariyalai Central North (part)
J095Ariyalai Central
J096Ariyalai Central South
7KalaigakalJ091Ariyalai North West
8Kantharmadam SouthJ104Kantharmadam South West
J105Kantharmadam South East
9Iyanar KoviladyJ097Iyanar Kovilady
J101Neeraviyady
10New Moor StreetJ088New Moor Street
11Navanthurai NorthJ085Navanthurai North
12Navanthurai SouthJ084Navanthurai South
13Old Moor StreetJ086Moor Street South
J087Moor Street North
14Grand BazaarJ080Grand Bazaar (Mega Bazaar)
J082Vannarpannai
15AttiaddyJ078Attiaddy
J079Sirambiady
16Chundikuli MaruthadyJ076Chundikuli North
J077Maruthady
17Ariyalai WestJ092Ariyalai West (Central)
J093Ariyalai South West
18ColumbuthuraiJ061Nedunkulam
J062Columbuthurai East
J063Columbuthurai West
19PassaiyoorJ064Passaiyoor East
J065Passaiyoor West
20EachchamoddaiJ066Eachchamoddai
21CathedralJ075Chundikuli South
22ThirunagarJ067Thirunagar
23GurunagarJ070Gurunagar East
J071Gurunagar West
24Jaffna TownJ073Jaffna Town West
J074Jaffna Town East
25Koddady FortJ081Fort
J083Koddady
26Reclamation WestJ069Reclamation West
J072Small Bazaar
27Reclamation EastJ068Reclamation East
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Mayors

The current Mayor of Jaffna is V. Manivannan of the Tamil National People's Front.

Election results

1983 local government election

Results of the local government election held on 18 May 1983:[24]

More information Alliances and parties, Votes ...
Alliances and partiesVotes%Seats
 Tamil United Liberation Front 8,59488.63%23
 United National Party 8308.56%0
 All Ceylon Tamil Congress 2722.81%0
Valid Votes9,696100.00%23
Rejected Votes74
Total Polled9,770
Registered Electors66,921
Turnout14.60%
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The Sri Lankan government suspended all local government in the north and east of the country in 1983 using emergency regulations.[25] The civil war prevented elections from being held for JMC until 1998.[26]

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 LTTE. 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.[27] 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.[28] On 3 December 1997 the government announced that elections would be held for the 17 local authorities on the Jaffna Peninsula.[29] 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.

1998 local government election

Results of the local government election held on 29 January 1998:[30][31]

More information Alliances and parties, Votes ...
Alliances and partiesVotes%Seats
 Tamil United Liberation Front 3,54033.31%9
 Democratic People's Liberation Front (PLOTE) 3,18229.94%6
 Eelam People's Democratic Party 2,96327.88%6
 Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front 9438.87%2
Valid Votes10,628100.00%23
Rejected Votes907
Total Polled11,535
Registered Electors82,667
Turnout13.95%
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On 1 January 2002 local authority elections were called for the entire country.[32][33] 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.[34][35] The normal life term of Sri Lankan local government bodies is four years. The life term of JMC 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.[36][37] On 17 September 2002 elections in the north and east were postponed, for a second time, until 25 June 2003.[38] 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 JMC using emergency powers and instead put in place special commissioners to administer the local area.[39] In June 2003 elections in the north and east were postponed, for a third time, until 24 January 2004.[40] 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.[41]

On 27 January 2006 local authority elections were called for the entire country.[42][43] It was later announced that elections would be held on 30 March 2006 across the entire country.[44] The Election Commissioner subsequently postponed the elections in the north and Batticaloa District until 30 September 2006.[45] On 23 September 2006 elections in the north and Batticaloa District were postponed until 30 June 2007.[46][47]

JMC 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:[48]

More information Alliances and parties, Votes ...
Alliances and partiesVotes%Seats
 United People's Freedom Alliance (EPDP, SLFP, ACMC et al.) 10,60250.67%13
 Tamil National Alliance (ITAK, EPRLF (S), TELO) 8,00838.28%8
 Independent 1 1,1755.62%1
 Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF, PLOTE, EPRLF (V)) 1,0074.81%1
 United National Party 830.40%0
 Independent 2 470.22%0
Valid Votes20,922100.00%23
Rejected Votes1,358
Total Polled22,280
Registered Electors100,417
Turnout22.19%
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The following candidates were elected:[49] Mudiyappu Remediyas (TNA), 4,223 preference votes (pv); Thurairajah Illango alias Regan (UPFA-EPDP), 3,387 pv; Mohamed Sultan Moulavi Sufian (Ind 1), 1,779 pv; Anthonypillai Mariamma (TNA), 1,678 pv; Murugiah Komahan (UPFA-EPDP), 1,573 pv; Vinthan Kanagaratnam (TNA), 1,442 pv; Manuel Mangaleswaran alias Nesapriyan (UPFA-EPDP), 1,394 pv; Meerasahib Mohamed Rameez (UPFA-ACMC), 1,338 pv; Yogeswari Patkunarajah (UPFA-EPDP), 1,250 pv; Pilevian Expedith Cracian (UPFA-EPDP), 1,166 pv; Nadarajah Rajathevan (TNA), 1,118 pv; Benjamin Jacob (TNA), 1,039 pv; Mohamed Merasahib Mustafa (UPFA-ACMC), 1,029 pv; Manikkam Kanagaraththinam (UPFA-EPDP), 1,025 pv; A. Paranjothy (TNA), 1,007 pv; Sutharsingh Vijiyakanth (UPFA-EPDP), 989 pv; Asker Roomi Badurtheen (UPFA-ACMC), 979 pv; Ajmaeen Asfar (UPFA-ACMC), 960 pv; Suvikaran Nishanthan (UPFA-EPDP), 896 pv; Anthonipillai Cilapotasious (UPFA-EPDP), 889 pv; Mariyakorattry Anton (TNA), 881 pv; Arulappu Korneliyas (TNA), 826 pv; and V. Anandasangaree (TULF) 424 pv.

Yogeswari Patkunarajah (UPFA-EPDP) and Thurairajah Illango (UPFA-EPDP) were appointed Mayor and Deputy Mayor respectively.[50] Mudiyappu Remediyas of the TNA was appointed as the Opposition Leader of the council but he crossed over to the UPFA in June 2011.[51]

Suvikaran Nishanthan (UPFA-EPDP) ceased to be member of JMC in January 2012 after ceasing to be a member of the UPFA.[52] He was replaced by Selvarasah Iramanan (UPFA). Thurairajah Illango (UPFA-EPDP) resigned from being Deputy Mayor and was replaced by Meerasahib Mohamed Rameez (UPFA-ACMC).[52]

2018 local government election

Results of the local government election held on 8 February 2018:[53]

More information Alliances and parties, Votes ...
Alliances and partiesVotes%Seats
WardPRTotal
 Tamil National Alliance (ITAK, PLOTE, TELO) 14,42435.76%14216
 Tamil National People's Front (ACTC) 12,02029.80%9413
 Eelam People's Democratic Party 8,67121.50%2810
 United National Front (UNP, SLMC, ACMC et al.) 2,4236.01%123
 Sri Lanka Freedom Party 1,4793.67%022
 Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF, EPRLF) 1,0712.66%101
 Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna 2420.60%000
Valid Votes40,330100.00%271845
Rejected Votes586
Total Polled40,916
Registered Electors56,245
Turnout72.75%
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Results by ward:[54]

More information Wardno., Ward name ...
Ward
no.
Ward nameTNATNPFEPDPUNFSLFPTULF/
EPRLF
JVPValid
Votes
Rejected
Votes
Total
Polled
1Vannarpannai North60260718821231531,459181,477
2Kantharmadam North West78766426440404041,839321,871
3Kantharmadam North East4013458128349821,169201,189
4Nallur Irajathani834742273421064162,044292,073
5Sangiliyan Thoppu705622215162514141,800201,820
6Ariyalai5615882154225215201,693261,719
7Kalaigakal1443511562661248711,120121,132
8Kantharmadam South401535721112510101,164151,179
9Iyanar Kovilady488666144269352021,624171,641
10New Moor Street246401824234905537560
11Navanthurai North5243693243221001,261741,335
12Navanthurai South320315429435231,117191,136
13Old Moor Street568109315598120961,725231,748
14Grand Bazaar504388352452028111,34891,357
15Attiaddy47847943225421221,470161,486
16Chundikuli Maruthady59552924910881221,485191,504
17Ariyalai West51956212116761461,314211,335
18Columbuthurai8308207242749191302,671382,709
19Passaiyoor642231563451801,490121,502
20Eachchamoddai38961522565202431,341141,355
21Cathedral289318141721514589886994
22Thirunagar552217512331125899598
23Gurunagar631353464103722161,533231,556
24Jaffna Town596513387153021111,573191,592
25Koddady Fort6073145911021671491,804371,841
26Reclamation West1,12352157631291142,295232,318
27Reclamation East5854028138163071,861281,889
Total14,42412,0208,6712,4231,4791,07124240,33058640,916
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The following candidates were elected:[55] Jesurajah Mary Anjala (TNA-Gurunagar), Paramalingam Anushiya (EPDP-PR), E. Arnold (TNA-ITAK-Passaiyoor), Mahalingam Arulkumaran (TNA-Grand Bazaar), Necolas Mariyathas Balachandran (TNA-Navanthurai North), Flavian Expedith Crasian (TNA-Reclamation West), Solomon Cyril (TNA-Chundikuli Maruthady), Crasian Damian (EPDP-PR), Thurairajah Eesan (TNA-TELO-Columbuthurai), Thurairasa Ilango (EPDP-PR), Likori Clement Jeyaseelan (TNPF-Cathedral), Rajaratnam Kanesarajah (TNPF-Vannarpannai North), Vaithilingam Kirubakaran (TNPF-Ariyalai West), Karthikesu Velum Mayilum Kugenthiran (EPDP-PR), Sinnathurai Kulenthirarajah (UNF-PR), Nadarajah Logathayalan (TNA-PR), Vishvalingam Manivannan (TNPF-PR), Mahenthiran Mayooran (TNPF-Attiaddy), Jeyanthini Nageswaran (EPDP-PR), Muththu Muhammathu Muhammathu Nibahir (TNA-New Moor Street), Kathiravel Niththiyananthan (TNA-Jaffna Town), Kachcha Mohamed Mahamed Niyas (UNF-Old Moor Street), Subajini Antony Panadsha (TNPF-PR), Varatharajan Partheepan (TNPF-Kantharmadam South), Balasubramaniam Pathmamurali (TNPF-Ariyalai), Yogeswari Patkunarajah (EPDP-PR), Neekilapillai Philiph (EPDP-Navanthurai South), Nalina Premlal (TNA-PR), Jeyakkumar Rajeevkanth (TNPF-Kalaigakal), Ramalingam Rakini (TNA-Nallur Irajathani), Mudiyappu Remidius (EPDP-PR), Sebamalaimuththu Sathiyasekaran (EPDP-Reclamation East), Ramasamy Chettiyar Selvavadivel (EPDP-PR), Balasingam Shantharuban (SLFP-PR), Nagarasa Srikaran (SLFP-PR), Suganthini Srikaran (TNPF-PR), Subramaniyam Subatheesh (TNA-Kantharmadam North East), Ajantha Thanbalasingam (TNPF-PR), Nagalingam Thanenthiran (TNA-Koddady Fort), Sivakanthan Thanujan (TNPF-Iyanar Kovilady), Paramalingam Tharshananth (TNA-Kantharmadam North West), Mathivathani Vivekanantharasa (TNA-Sangiliyan Thoppu), Sutharsing Vijayakanth (TULF/EPRLF-Thirunagar), Vicneswaralingam Vijayathadshani (UNF-PR) and Ratnasingam Yenan (TNPF-Eachchamoddai).

E. Arnold (TNA) and Thurairajah Eesan (TNA) were elected Mayor and Deputy Mayor respectively when the council met for the first time on 26 March 2018.[56][57][58]

2025 local government election

Results of the local government election held on 6 May 2025.[59]

More information Alliances and parties, Votes ...
Alliances and partiesVotes%Seats
WardPRTotal+/-
 Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi 10,37029.63%10313 Decrease 3
 Tamil National People's Front (ACTC) 9,12426.07%11112 Decrease 1
 National People's Power (JVP) 7,70222.01%4610 Increase 10
 Eelam People's Democratic Party 3,56710.19%044 Decrease 6
 Democratic Tamil National Alliance (PLOTE, TELO, EPRLF) 3,0768.79%224 Increase 4
 United National Party 5871.68%011 Decrease 2
 Samagi Jana Balawegaya 4641.33%011 Increase 1
 Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna 1030.29%000 Steady
Total34,993100.00%2718450
Valid votes34,99398.69%
Rejected votes4661.31%
Total votes35,459100.00%
Registered voters/turnout63,04556.24%
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Results by ward:

More information Wardno., Ward name ...
Ward
no.
Ward nameITAKTNPFNPPEPDPDTNAUNPSJBSLPPValid
Votes
1Vannarpannai North41045325929175231,178
2Kantharmadam North West241452352374818451,580
3Kantharmadam North East1654122951641246541,184
4Nallur Irajathani4925223196814616521,578
5Sangiliyan Thoppu627388393371209751,586
6Ariyalai2324663643323641741,455
7Kalaigakal179252202123150514331,057
8Kantharmadam South22232525734461332902
9Iyanar Kovilady254456317364617011161,306
10New Moor Street108245681771721717651
11Navanthurai North4378446123631681,398
12Navanthurai South50711595114901192943
13Old Moor Street76121715434163368921,663
14Grand Bazaar1673193201677019122909
15Attiaddy22334642013412691231,273
16Chundikuli Maruthady26938631767830511,128
17Ariyalai West24439641125563801,146
18Columbuthurai49642860244049051422,477
19Passaiyoor356258339175501411,184
20Eachchamoddai40337922064473331,122
21Cathedral4091852304222543900
22Thirunagar802152131185111472
23Gurunagar5541503401355432721,265
24Jaffna Town29460422763831511,278
25Koddady Fort80920919628711581451,643
26Reclamation West7141695521371204941,709
27Reclamation East7171273403333167821,850
Total10,3709,1247,7023,5673,07658746410334,993
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References

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