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Government of the Northern Province, Sri Lanka

May 02, 2024

The Government of the Northern Province refers to the provincial government of the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. Under the Sri Lankan constitution the nine provincial governments of the country have power over a variety of matters including agriculture, education, health, housing, local government, planning, road transport and social services. The constitution also gives them powers over police and land but successive central governments have refused to devolve these powers to the provinces. Legislative power rests with the Northern Provincial Council whilst executive power rests with the Governor and Board of Ministers.

History edit

In an attempt to end the Sri Lankan Civil War the Indo-Lanka Accord was signed on 29 July 1987. One of the requirements of the accord was that the Sri Lankan government should devolve powers to the provinces.[1] Accordingly, on 14 November 1987 the Sri Lankan Parliament passed the 13th Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka and the Provincial Councils Act No 42 of 1987.[2][3] On 3 February 1988 nine provincial councils were created by order.[4] The first elections for provincial councils took place on 28 April 1988 in North Central, North Western, Sabaragamuwa, and Uva provinces.[5] On 2 June 1988 elections were held for provincial councils for Central, Southern and Western provinces.

The Indo-Lanka Accord also required the merger of the Eastern and Northern provinces into one administrative unit. The accord required a referendum to be held by 31 December 1988 in the Eastern Province to decide whether the merger should be permanent. Crucially, the accord allowed the Sri Lankan president to postpone the referendum at his discretion.[1] On September 2 and 8 1988 President Jayewardene issued proclamations enabling the Eastern and Northern provinces to be one administrative unit administered by one elected council, creating the North Eastern Province.[4] Elections in the newly merged North Eastern Province were held on 19 November 1988. The Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front, an Indian backed paramilitary group, won control of the North Eastern provincial council.

On 1 March 1990, just as the Indian Peace Keeping Force were preparing to withdraw from Sri Lanka, Annamalai Varatharajah Perumal, Chief Minister of the North Eastern Province, moved a motion in the North Eastern Provincial Council declaring an independent Eelam.[6] President Premadasa reacted to Permual's UDI by dissolving the provincial council and imposing direct rule on the province.

The proclamations issued by President Jayewardene in September 1988 merging the Northern and Eastern provinces were only meant to be a temporary measure until a referendum was held in the Eastern Province on a permanent merger between the two provinces. However, the referendum was never held and successive Sri Lankan presidents issued proclamations annually extending the life of the "temporary" entity.[7] The merger was bitterly opposed by Sri Lankan nationalists. The combined North Eastern Province occupied one third of Sri Lanka. The thought of the rebel Tamil Tigers controlling this province, directly or indirectly, alarmed them greatly. On 14 July 2006, after a long campaign against the merger, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna filed three separate petitions with the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka requesting a separate Provincial Council for the East.[4] On 16 October 2006 the Supreme Court ruled that the proclamations issued by President Jayewardene were null and void and had no legal effect.[4] The North Eastern Province was formally de-merged into the Eastern and Northern provinces on 1 January 2007. The Northern province was ruled directly from Colombo (via the centrally appointed governor) until 21 September 2013 when elections were held.

Legislature edit

Main article: Northern Provincial Council

Under the Sri Lankan constitution provincial councils such as the Northern Provincial Council may enact statutes in respect of matters on List I of the Ninth Schedule ("the Provincial Council List").[8] Matters on this list include agriculture, education, health, housing, local government, planning, road transport and social services.[9] Police and land are also on this list but successive central governments have refused to devolve these powers to the provinces. Provincial councils may also enact statutes in respect of matters on List III of the Ninth Schedule ("the Concurrent List") after consulting the national Parliament.[8] Matters on this list include archaeological sites, employment, environmental protection, fisheries, higher education, price control and tourism.[9]

The Northern Provincial Council has 38 members elected using the open list proportional representation system. The first election for the council took place on 21 September 2013. The Tamil National Alliance (TNA), the largest party representing the Sri Lankan Tamils, won 30 of the 38 seats.[10] The United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA), which was in power nationally, became the second largest group after winning 7 seats.[10] The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) won the remaining seat.[10]

Alliance Votes % Seats
  Tamil National Alliance 353,595 78.48% 30
  United People's Freedom Alliance 82,838 18.38% 7
  Sri Lanka Muslim Congress 6,761 1.50% 1
Others 7,380 1.64% 0
Total 450,574 100.00% 38

The maximum term of the provincial council is 5 years from the date of its first meeting.[11]

Executive edit

Executive power over matters which the provincial council may enact statutes rests with the Governor who exercises these powers through a Board of Ministers.[12]

Governor edit

See also: List of Governors of Northern Province

The Governor is appointed by the President of Sri Lanka for a period of five years.[13] The Governor has the power to prorogue and dissolve the provincial council.[13] The Governor appoints, from amongst the members of the provincial council, the Chief Minister and, on the advice of the Chief Minister, the remaining members of the Board of Ministers from amongst the members of the provincial council.[14]

The current Governor of the Northern Province G. A. Chandrasiri was appointed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa and took office on 12 July 2009.[15][16] Major General Chandrasiri had previously been commander of Jaffna Security Forces, the regional army command for the Jaffna Peninsula.[17][18] This has led to Chandrasiri being labelled a "military governor".[19][20][21] Chandrasiri's military background and his open support for the United People's Freedom Alliance have resulted in the Tamil National Alliance and the United National Party calling for him to be replaced by a "civilian governor".[22][23]

Board of Ministers edit

See also: List of Chief Ministers of Northern Province

The Board of Ministers consists of the Chief Minister and up to four other ministers.[14] The job of the Board of Ministers is to aid and advise governor in the exercise of his functions.[14] The Northern Province did not have a Board of Ministers until after the provincial council election in 2013.

The current Board of Ministers consists of the Chief Minister and four ministers who took office in October 2013. The current Chief Minister C. V. Vigneswaran was appointed by Governor Chandrasiri on 1 October 2013.[24][25][26] Vigneswaran took his chief ministerial oath in front of President Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat on 7 October 2013.[27][28][29] The four other ministers took their oaths in front of Vigneswaran at Veerasingam Hall on 11 October 2013.[30][31] Vigneswaran took his ministerial oath in front of President Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat on 17 October 2013.[32][33]

Party Minister Office Ministry In office since Secretary Website
1 ITAK C. V. Vigneswaran Chief Minister 7 October 2013
Minister of Finance and Planning, Law and Order, Lands, Electricity, Housing and Construction, Tourism, Local Government, Provincial Administration, Rural Development, Road Development, Motor Traffic and Transport Finance and Planning, Law and Order, Lands, Electricity, Housing and Construction, Tourism, Local Government, Provincial Administration, Rural Development, Road Development, Motor Traffic and Transport 23 August 2017 R. Varathalingam
2 TELO G. Gunaseelan Minister of Health and Indigenous Medicine and Probation and Childcare Services Health and Indigenous Medicine and Probation and Childcare Services 23 August 2017 S. Thiruvakaran
3 EPRLF K. Sarveswaran Minister of Education, Sports and Youth Affairs and Cultural Affairs 29 June 2017 R. Raveenthiran
4 ITAK Ananthi Sasitharan Minister of Women Affairs, Rehabilitation, Social Service, Co-operatives, Food Supply and Distribution, Industries and Enterprise Promotion and Trade and Commerce Women Affairs, Rehabilitation, Social Service, Co-operatives, Food Supply and Distribution, Industries and Enterprise Promotion and Trade and Commerce 23 August 2017 R. Varatheeswaran
5 PLOTE K. Sivanesan Minister of Agriculture and Agrarian Services, Animal Husbandry, Irrigation, Fisheries, Water Supply and Environment Agriculture and Agrarian Services, Animal Husbandry, Irrigation, Fisheries, Water Supply and Environment 23 August 2017 S. Sathiyaseelan healthnp.org

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Indo Sri Lanka Agreement, 1987". TamilNation.
  2. ^ . Official Website of the Government of Sri Lanka. Government of Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 2009-07-07.
  3. ^ . Official Website of the Government of Sri Lanka. Government of Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 2012-06-15. Retrieved 2013-10-06.
  4. ^ a b c d . LankaNewspapers.com. 17 October 2006. Archived from the original on 24 May 2009.
  5. ^ . International Centre for Ethnic Studies9. Archived from the original on 2009-12-12.
  6. ^ Ferdinando, Shamindra (10 September 2000). . Sunday Island (Sri Lanka). Archived from the original on 1 May 2009. Retrieved 6 October 2013.
  7. ^ V.S. Sambandan (14 November 2003). . The Hindu. Archived from the original on 25 February 2004. Retrieved 10 October 2009.
  8. ^ a b "THE CONSTITUTION OF THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF SRI LANKA - Article 154G". LawNet.
  9. ^ a b "Ninth Schedule". Government of Sri Lanka.
  10. ^ a b c "Provincial Council Elections 2013 : Northern Province". Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 2013-09-22.
  11. ^ "THE CONSTITUTION OF THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF SRI LANKA - Article 154E". LawNet.
  12. ^ "THE CONSTITUTION OF THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF SRI LANKA - Article 154C". LawNet.
  13. ^ a b . LawNet. Archived from the original on 2013-10-13. Retrieved 2013-10-06.
  14. ^ a b c "THE CONSTITUTION OF THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF SRI LANKA - Article 154F". LawNet.
  15. ^ "PART I : SECTION (I) — GENERAL Appointments & c., by the President" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary. 1612/15. 29 July 2009.[permanent dead link]
  16. ^ "New military posts created". BBC Sinhala. 12 July 2009.
  17. ^ "Notorious commander appointed Governor of Northern Province". TamilNet. 12 July 2009.
  18. ^ Perera, Tissa Ravindra (19 July 2009). "Refurbishing the Armed Forces". The Nation (Sri Lanka).
  19. ^ "SL military governor builds expensive bungalow, diverts aid to Sinhala colonists". TamilNet. 28 December 2011.
  20. ^ Jabbar, Zacki (22 June 2013). "TNA wants Military Governor replaced prior to Northern PC Election". The Island (Sri Lanka).
  21. ^ Bastians, Dharisha (1 October 2013). "Cohabitation begins with Wiggie-Chandrasiri pow-wow". Daily FT.
  22. ^ Kamalendran, Chris (29 September 2013). "News TNA wants President in Jaffna for CM oaths". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka).
  23. ^ Ferdinando, Shamindra (28 September 2013). "NP Governor invites TNA to finalise CM appointment". The Island (Sri Lanka).
  24. ^ "New Chief Minister appointed to Northern Provincial Council – 01 October 2013". Northern Provincial Council. 1 October 2013.
  25. ^ (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary. 1831/01. 7 October 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 November 2013.
  26. ^ . Ceylon Today. 1 October 2013. Archived from the original on 10 June 2015.
  27. ^ "Wigneswaran takes oath as Northern Province CM". The Hindu/Indo-Asian News Service. 9 October 2013.
  28. ^ . The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka). 7 October 2013. Archived from the original on 10 October 2013. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
  29. ^ "Sri Lanka poll: Tamil minister Wigneswaran says 'peace possible'". BBC News. 7 October 2013.
  30. ^ "NPC members take oath in Jaffna after honouring fallen Tamil Heroes". TamilNet. 11 October 2013.
  31. ^ . The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). 11 October 2013. Archived from the original on 14 October 2013.
  32. ^ Pradeep, Chaturanga (17 October 2013). "Video: Wigneswaran gets all". The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka).
  33. ^ "Wigneswaran sworn-in by President again, as Provincial Minister". Daily FT. 18 October 2013.

May 02, 2024
government, northern, province, lanka, government, northern, province, refers, provincial, government, northern, province, lanka, under, lankan, constitution, nine, provincial, governments, country, have, power, over, variety, matters, including, agriculture, . The Government of the Northern Province refers to the provincial government of the Northern Province of Sri Lanka Under the Sri Lankan constitution the nine provincial governments of the country have power over a variety of matters including agriculture education health housing local government planning road transport and social services The constitution also gives them powers over police and land but successive central governments have refused to devolve these powers to the provinces Legislative power rests with the Northern Provincial Council whilst executive power rests with the Governor and Board of Ministers Contents 1 History 2 Legislature 3 Executive 3 1 Governor 3 2 Board of Ministers 4 ReferencesHistory editIn an attempt to end the Sri Lankan Civil War the Indo Lanka Accord was signed on 29 July 1987 One of the requirements of the accord was that the Sri Lankan government should devolve powers to the provinces 1 Accordingly on 14 November 1987 the Sri Lankan Parliament passed the 13th Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka and the Provincial Councils Act No 42 of 1987 2 3 On 3 February 1988 nine provincial councils were created by order 4 The first elections for provincial councils took place on 28 April 1988 in North Central North Western Sabaragamuwa and Uva provinces 5 On 2 June 1988 elections were held for provincial councils for Central Southern and Western provinces The Indo Lanka Accord also required the merger of the Eastern and Northern provinces into one administrative unit The accord required a referendum to be held by 31 December 1988 in the Eastern Province to decide whether the merger should be permanent Crucially the accord allowed the Sri Lankan president to postpone the referendum at his discretion 1 On September 2 and 8 1988 President Jayewardene issued proclamations enabling the Eastern and Northern provinces to be one administrative unit administered by one elected council creating the North Eastern Province 4 Elections in the newly merged North Eastern Province were held on 19 November 1988 The Eelam People s Revolutionary Liberation Front an Indian backed paramilitary group won control of the North Eastern provincial council On 1 March 1990 just as the Indian Peace Keeping Force were preparing to withdraw from Sri Lanka Annamalai Varatharajah Perumal Chief Minister of the North Eastern Province moved a motion in the North Eastern Provincial Council declaring an independent Eelam 6 President Premadasa reacted to Permual s UDI by dissolving the provincial council and imposing direct rule on the province The proclamations issued by President Jayewardene in September 1988 merging the Northern and Eastern provinces were only meant to be a temporary measure until a referendum was held in the Eastern Province on a permanent merger between the two provinces However the referendum was never held and successive Sri Lankan presidents issued proclamations annually extending the life of the temporary entity 7 The merger was bitterly opposed by Sri Lankan nationalists The combined North Eastern Province occupied one third of Sri Lanka The thought of the rebel Tamil Tigers controlling this province directly or indirectly alarmed them greatly On 14 July 2006 after a long campaign against the merger the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna filed three separate petitions with the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka requesting a separate Provincial Council for the East 4 On 16 October 2006 the Supreme Court ruled that the proclamations issued by President Jayewardene were null and void and had no legal effect 4 The North Eastern Province was formally de merged into the Eastern and Northern provinces on 1 January 2007 The Northern province was ruled directly from Colombo via the centrally appointed governor until 21 September 2013 when elections were held Legislature editMain article Northern Provincial Council Under the Sri Lankan constitution provincial councils such as the Northern Provincial Council may enact statutes in respect of matters on List I of the Ninth Schedule the Provincial Council List 8 Matters on this list include agriculture education health housing local government planning road transport and social services 9 Police and land are also on this list but successive central governments have refused to devolve these powers to the provinces Provincial councils may also enact statutes in respect of matters on List III of the Ninth Schedule the Concurrent List after consulting the national Parliament 8 Matters on this list include archaeological sites employment environmental protection fisheries higher education price control and tourism 9 The Northern Provincial Council has 38 members elected using the open list proportional representation system The first election for the council took place on 21 September 2013 The Tamil National Alliance TNA the largest party representing the Sri Lankan Tamils won 30 of the 38 seats 10 The United People s Freedom Alliance UPFA which was in power nationally became the second largest group after winning 7 seats 10 The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress SLMC won the remaining seat 10 Alliance Votes Seats Tamil National Alliance 353 595 78 48 30 United People s Freedom Alliance 82 838 18 38 7 Sri Lanka Muslim Congress 6 761 1 50 1 Others 7 380 1 64 0 Total 450 574 100 00 38 The maximum term of the provincial council is 5 years from the date of its first meeting 11 Executive editExecutive power over matters which the provincial council may enact statutes rests with the Governor who exercises these powers through a Board of Ministers 12 Governor edit See also List of Governors of Northern Province The Governor is appointed by the President of Sri Lanka for a period of five years 13 The Governor has the power to prorogue and dissolve the provincial council 13 The Governor appoints from amongst the members of the provincial council the Chief Minister and on the advice of the Chief Minister the remaining members of the Board of Ministers from amongst the members of the provincial council 14 The current Governor of the Northern Province G A Chandrasiri was appointed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa and took office on 12 July 2009 15 16 Major General Chandrasiri had previously been commander of Jaffna Security Forces the regional army command for the Jaffna Peninsula 17 18 This has led to Chandrasiri being labelled a military governor 19 20 21 Chandrasiri s military background and his open support for the United People s Freedom Alliance have resulted in the Tamil National Alliance and the United National Party calling for him to be replaced by a civilian governor 22 23 Board of Ministers edit See also List of Chief Ministers of Northern Province The Board of Ministers consists of the Chief Minister and up to four other ministers 14 The job of the Board of Ministers is to aid and advise governor in the exercise of his functions 14 The Northern Province did not have a Board of Ministers until after the provincial council election in 2013 The current Board of Ministers consists of the Chief Minister and four ministers who took office in October 2013 The current Chief Minister C V Vigneswaran was appointed by Governor Chandrasiri on 1 October 2013 24 25 26 Vigneswaran took his chief ministerial oath in front of President Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat on 7 October 2013 27 28 29 The four other ministers took their oaths in front of Vigneswaran at Veerasingam Hall on 11 October 2013 30 31 Vigneswaran took his ministerial oath in front of President Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat on 17 October 2013 32 33 Party Minister Office Ministry In office since Secretary Website 1 ITAK C V Vigneswaran Chief Minister 7 October 2013 Minister of Finance and Planning Law and Order Lands Electricity Housing and Construction Tourism Local Government Provincial Administration Rural Development Road Development Motor Traffic and Transport Finance and Planning Law and Order Lands Electricity Housing and Construction Tourism Local Government Provincial Administration Rural Development Road Development Motor Traffic and Transport 23 August 2017 R Varathalingam 2 TELO G Gunaseelan Minister of Health and Indigenous Medicine and Probation and Childcare Services Health and Indigenous Medicine and Probation and Childcare Services 23 August 2017 S Thiruvakaran 3 EPRLF K Sarveswaran Minister of Education Sports and Youth Affairs and Cultural Affairs 29 June 2017 R Raveenthiran 4 ITAK Ananthi Sasitharan Minister of Women Affairs Rehabilitation Social Service Co operatives Food Supply and Distribution Industries and Enterprise Promotion and Trade and Commerce Women Affairs Rehabilitation Social Service Co operatives Food Supply and Distribution Industries and Enterprise Promotion and Trade and Commerce 23 August 2017 R Varatheeswaran 5 PLOTE K Sivanesan Minister of Agriculture and Agrarian Services Animal Husbandry Irrigation Fisheries Water Supply and Environment Agriculture and Agrarian Services Animal Husbandry Irrigation Fisheries Water Supply and Environment 23 August 2017 S Sathiyaseelan healthnp orgReferences edit a b Indo Sri Lanka Agreement 1987 TamilNation Introduction Official Website of the Government of Sri Lanka Government of Sri Lanka Archived from the original on 2009 07 07 Amendments to the 1978 Constitution Official Website of the Government of Sri Lanka Government of Sri Lanka Archived from the original on 2012 06 15 Retrieved 2013 10 06 a b c d North East merger illegal SC LankaNewspapers com 17 October 2006 Archived from the original on 24 May 2009 Ethnic Conflict of Sri Lanka Time Line From Independence to 1999 International Centre for Ethnic Studies9 Archived from the original on 2009 12 12 Ferdinando Shamindra 10 September 2000 I m no traitor says Perumal Sunday Island Sri Lanka Archived from the original on 1 May 2009 Retrieved 6 October 2013 V S Sambandan 14 November 2003 Sri Lanka s North East to remain united for another year The Hindu Archived from the original on 25 February 2004 Retrieved 10 October 2009 a b THE CONSTITUTION OF THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF SRI LANKA Article 154G LawNet a b Ninth Schedule Government of Sri Lanka a b c Provincial Council Elections 2013 Northern Province Department of Elections Sri Lanka Archived from the original on 2013 09 22 THE CONSTITUTION OF THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF SRI LANKA Article 154E LawNet THE CONSTITUTION OF THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF SRI LANKA Article 154C LawNet a b THE CONSTITUTION OF THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF SRI LANKA Article 154B LawNet Archived from the original on 2013 10 13 Retrieved 2013 10 06 a b c THE CONSTITUTION OF THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF SRI LANKA Article 154F LawNet PART I SECTION I GENERAL Appointments amp c by the President PDF The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary 1612 15 29 July 2009 permanent dead link New military posts created BBC Sinhala 12 July 2009 Notorious commander appointed Governor of Northern Province TamilNet 12 July 2009 Perera Tissa Ravindra 19 July 2009 Refurbishing the Armed Forces The Nation Sri Lanka SL military governor builds expensive bungalow diverts aid to Sinhala colonists TamilNet 28 December 2011 Jabbar Zacki 22 June 2013 TNA wants Military Governor replaced prior to Northern PC Election The Island Sri Lanka Bastians Dharisha 1 October 2013 Cohabitation begins with Wiggie Chandrasiri pow wow Daily FT Kamalendran Chris 29 September 2013 News TNA wants President in Jaffna for CM oaths The Sunday Times Sri Lanka Ferdinando Shamindra 28 September 2013 NP Governor invites TNA to finalise CM appointment The Island Sri Lanka New Chief Minister appointed to Northern Provincial Council 01 October 2013 Northern Provincial Council 1 October 2013 PART IV A PROVINCIAL COUNCILS Appointments amp c by the Governors NORTHERN PROVINCE PROVINCIAL COUNCIL Appointment made by the Governor of the Northern Province PDF The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary 1831 01 7 October 2013 Archived from the original PDF on 2 November 2013 C V Vigneswaran receives appointment letter Ceylon Today 1 October 2013 Archived from the original on 10 June 2015 Wigneswaran takes oath as Northern Province CM The Hindu Indo Asian News Service 9 October 2013 Wigneswaran sworn in as NPC CM The Daily Mirror Sri Lanka 7 October 2013 Archived from the original on 10 October 2013 Retrieved 13 October 2013 Sri Lanka poll Tamil minister Wigneswaran says peace possible BBC News 7 October 2013 NPC members take oath in Jaffna after honouring fallen Tamil Heroes TamilNet 11 October 2013 Northern Provincial Council TNA members take oaths The Sunday Times Sri Lanka 11 October 2013 Archived from the original on 14 October 2013 Pradeep Chaturanga 17 October 2013 Video Wigneswaran gets all The Daily Mirror Sri Lanka Wigneswaran sworn in by President again as Provincial Minister Daily FT 18 October 2013 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Government of the Northern Province Sri Lanka amp oldid 1187344864 Board of Ministers, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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