| W. J. M. Lokkubandara ( M) |
| Dhammika Kitulgoda ( M) |
- 196 directly elected
- 29 appointed
Parliament House
SRI JAYEWARDENEPURA KOTTE
Tel.: (94112) 277 288, 777 277
Fax: (94112) 777 275, 777 501
E-mail: SGP@parliament.lk
CPA@parliament.lk
Cable: Comparlas, Colombo
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| http://www.parliament.lk/ |
- one nationwide constituency (29 seats)
Each elector selects specific party or independent group and three of its candidates. Parties polling less than one-eighth of vote in each constituency are not eligible for seats.
29 "national" MPs chosen through a formula based on aggregate votes received by each party.
Vacancies filled by substitutes nominated by same party or group which held seat in question.
Voting is not compulsory.
- Sri Lankan citizenship
- residence in constituency where voting
- disqualifications: insanity, imprisonment of six months or more (in preceding 7 years), death sentence, conviction for corrupt or illegal practice connected with elections, imposition of civic disability.
- age: 18 years
- Sri lankan citizenship
- ineligibility: undischarged bankrupt, interest in government contract, acceptance of bribe or gratification offered with view to influencing judgment as MP (in preceding 7 years).
- certain employees of corporations
- membership of police or armed forces
- Judicial officers, Secretary General of Parliament and his staff, members of the Public Service Commission and Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration (Ombudsman)
- in each district, a party or independent group can nominate up to three more candidates than there are seats to be filled
- groups must also deposit 2,000 rupees per candidate (reimbursable if group polls more than one-eighth of the votes cast in the district)
Also available:
Archive of past election results for this chamber
During the conflict, tens of thousands of Sri Lankans couldn't vote, either because of Tiger-imposed election boycotts or because more than 1.6 million people were repeatedly displaced by the fighting. Most of the voteless were among the country's 3.2 million Tamils, who are predominant in the north and east of the country, where most of the fighting raged. The rest of the country is dominated by the 14 million ethnic Sinhalese.
In 2002, a Norwegian-brokered cease-fire with the rebels was signed by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe. However, the talks about a political solution to the conflict were stalled in April 2003, when the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam walked out. Efforts to restart talks failed in November 2003, after President Kumaratunga dismissed three ministers in the government, saying that the Prime Minister had compromised security in his talks with the Tigers. The process was further complicated in March 2004 by a split in the rebel ranks after a Tamil Tiger leader Mr. V Muralitharan, known as Karuna, led a breakaway from the main Tiger rebel group and the two factions were threatening to go to war against each other.
Although the United National Party (UNP) of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had won the elections in 2001, there had been an awkward cohabitation between President Kumaratunga, who leads the United Peoples' Freedom Alliance a rival party and has vast constitutional powers, and Mr. Wickremesinghe, who controlled Parliament.
During the electoral campaign both pledged to reopen talks as soon as possible, but differed sharply in their approach. President Kumaratunga accused Mr. Wickremesinghe of endangering the country's security by giving away too much to win peace with the rebels. Her United Peoples' Freedom Alliance also accused the government of corruption and appealed to the people to "join hands to rid the country of war, uncertainty and corruption". Meanwhile, Mr Wickremesinghe's UNP campaigned almost exclusively on the Prime Minister's peace bid, saying he needed a new mandate to complete the process.
A record 6,024 candidates from 24 registered political parties and 192 independent groups, including for the first time a party of Buddhist monks, contested the elections. Another wildcard was the inclusion of the People's Liberation Front (JVP), a hard-line nationalist party with Marxist economic policies, in the United Peoples' Freedom Alliance.
Political violence rose in the days prior to polling day, although it remained far less than in the last election in 2001, when some 61 people had been killed in political attacks. In eastern parts of the country, pre-poll violence left at least two people dead, including a candidate close to the breakaway Tiger leader.
Police deployed a 64,000-strong force to guard the 10,400 polling booths and counting centres while the military patrolled and reinforced areas prone to violence. Some 25,000 local and international election monitors, including the European Union and the Commonwealth, were also deployed on election day.
Results showed that President Chandrika Kumaratunga's United Peoples' Freedom Alliance had won 105 seats, eight seats short of the 113 needed to secure a majority in the 225-member legislature. Prime Minister Wickremesinghe's United National Party followed with 82 seats. Candidates loyal to the Tamil Tigers took third place in the election, winning 22 seats. The National Heritage Party of Buddhist monks won nine seats.
The first meeting of the newly elected Parliament was held on 22 April 2004. Mr. W. J. M. Lokkubandara was elected as its new Speaker.
On 6 April 2004, the until then Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse was sworn-in as the new Prime Minister.
| Round no 1 (2 April 2004): Election results | ||||
| Number of registered electors | ||||
| Voters | ||||
| Blank or invalid ballot papers | ||||
| Valid votes | ||||
| Round no 1: Distribution of votes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Political Group | Candidates | Votes | % of votes | |||||||||||||||||||||
| United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| United National Party (UNP) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Parti de l'état tamoul du Lanka (ITAK) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National Sinhala Heritage (JHU) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Others | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Round no 1: Distribution of seats | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Political Group | Total of seats | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) | 105 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| United National Party (UNP) | 82 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Parti de l'état tamoul du Lanka (ITAK) | 22 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National Sinhala Heritage (JHU) | 9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Others | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
- Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP)
- Communist Party of Sri Lanka
- Democratic United National Front
- Lanka Equal Society Party
- Sri Lanka People's Party.
Sources:
- Department of Elections Website
- Parliament (01.01.2008)
- Mr. Chandra Nehru MP for Batticaloa on 7 February 2005.
- Mr. Laksman Kadirgamar, MP & Minister, was killed on 13 August 2005.
- Mr. Joseph Pararajasingham, MP, was shot and killed on 25 December 2005.
- reasons for interruption of the term: resignation, death, dissolution of the Parliament, loss of mandate as Member of Parliament
- election held at the first meeting of the Parliament, after general elections
- before Members are sworn in
- simple majority
- several rounds are held when there are many candidates
- if more than one round is held, candidates with the smallest number of votes shall be excluded until one candidate obtains more votes than the remaining candidate
- the Secretary General supervises the voting
- the Secretary General announces the results without any delay
- the results can be challenged within one calendar month
- in the absence of the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister the Speaker may be called upon as acting Head of State
- represents the Parliament in international bodies
- is president ex officio of different committees
- in the absence of the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker can assume his/her role and functions, in the absence of both of them, the Deputy Chairman of Committee can do it, if none of them is present, a Member elected by the Parliament presides over the sitting
- official residence
- official car
- additional staff
- domestic staff
- secretariat
- body guards
- organizes the debates and sets speaking time with the assistance of the Business Committee
- refers texts to a committee for study
- examines the admissibility of request for setting up committees and/or committees of enquiry, proposes or decides on the setting up of such committees
- can appoint some committees and/or their presiding officers
- ensures respect for provisions of the Constitution and Standing Orders
- makes announcements concerning theParliament
- takes disciplinary measures in the event of disturbance, and lifts such measures
- grants permission to speak
- calls for a vote, decides how it is to be carried out, verifies the voting procedure and cancels a vote in the event of irregularities
- checks the quorum
- is responsible for establishing the Parliament's budget
- recruits and assigns staff with the approval of the Speaker
- organizes the services of Parliament with the approval of the Speaker
- the President of the Republic appoints the Secretary General
- is responsible for relations with foreign Parliaments
- is responsible for safety, and in this capacity, can call the police in the event of disturbance in the Parliament
- takes part in voting when the votes are equal
- intervenes in the parliamentary oversight procedure
- issues a certificate when a bill has been passed by the Parliament, so that it becomes a law
· Procedure (Art. 66 (b) of the Constitution): an MP resigns by a writing in his own hand addressed to the Secretary-General of Parliament
· Authority competent to accept the resignation: the Secretary-General of Parliament
(b) Definitive exclusion from Parliament by the latter (Art. 66 (i) and 81 of the Constitution)
(c) Loss of mandate by judicial decision:
- Election petitions (Art. 66 (g) of the Constitution; see also Validation of mandates)
- Appeal in the case of revocation by political parties (see (a) Revocation before expiry of mandate by political parties)
(d) Loss of mandate for disqualification, including incompatibilities (Art. 66 (c) to (e), 89 to 91 of the Constitution)
(e) Loss of mandate for absence from sittings of Parliament (Art. 66 (f) of the Constitution)
(f) Death (Art. 66 (a) of the Constitution)
(g) General procedure (Art. 100 of the Constitution)
1. The Speaker
2. The Cabinet Ministers
3. The Deputy Ministers
4. The other MPs
· Outside Parliament: the official order of precedence ranks the MPs in the 14th position.
· Basic salary (see also Art. 68 of the Constitution): Rs. 265,000 per annum
+ Additional allowance: Rs. 500 per sitting
+ Entertainment allowance: Rs. 1000 per month
+ Fuel allowance: Rs. 7500 per month
+ Cell phone allowance: Rs. 2000 per month
+ Driver's allowance: Rs. 3500 per month
· Total exemption from tax for emoluments drawn as a Member of Parliament
· Pension scheme
· Group Insurance Scheme
· Other facilities:
(a) Secretariat (see also Art. 65 of the Constitution)
(b) Assistants
(c) Stationery
(d) Official housing
(e) Security guards
(f) Postal and telephone services
(g) Travel and transport
· Parliamentary non-accountability is limited to words spoken or written by MPs and votes cast within Parliament.
· Derogations: offence or insult (SO 72, 77, and 84 (viii) of the Standing Orders of the Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka), breach of privilege in cases of disobedience to rules or orders of the House (Part II and Schedule to the Parliament (Powers and Privileges) Act, No. 21 of 1953, Art. 78 of the Standing Orders) (for both, see Discipline)
· Non-accountability takes effect on the day when the mandate begins and offers, after the expiry of the mandate, protection against prosecution for opinions expressed during the exercise of the mandate.
· It applies only to civil proceedings, covers all offences, but protects MPs only from arrest and detention.
· No derogations are foreseen.
· However, evidence of proceedings in the House or a committee cannot be given without leave of the House (Art. 17 of the Parliament (Powers and Privileges) Act, No. 21 of 1953).
· Protection is provided from 40 days before the session starts until 40 days after the House has been prorogued or dissolved. Since parliamentary inviolability does not cover judicial proceedings in general, it does not cover judicial proceedings instituted against MPs before their election.
· Parliamentary immunity (inviolability) cannot be lifted.
· Parliament cannot subject the prosecution and/or detention to certain conditions.
· Parliament cannot suspend the prosecution and/or detention of one of its members.
· In the event of preventive custody or imprisonment, the MPs concerned cannot be authorised to attend sittings of Parliament.
· It is provided by Parliament and political parties. Other.
· There is no handbook of parliamentary procedure.
· Penalties foreseen in case of failure to attend: loss of mandate or loss of committee membership
· Disciplinary measures foreseen:
- Call to order (SO 84 (xii) of the Standing Orders of the Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka)
- Naming, suspension, and direction to withdraw from the precincts of Parliament (SO 72 and 75 of the Standing Orders of the Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka)
- Order to discontinue the speech (SO 73 of the Standing Orders of the Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka)
- Order to withdraw, eventually with naming (SO 74 and 75 of the Standing Orders of the Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka)
- Adjournment of Parliament/suspension of the sitting (SO 76 of the Standing Orders of the Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka)
- Any other disciplinary measure (SO 77 (1), 78, and 84 (vi) and (viii) of the Standing Orders of the Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka)
- Deletion from the Official Report (SO 77 (2) of the Standing Orders of the Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka)
· Specific cases:
- Offence or insult (SO 72, 77, and 84 (viii) of the Standing Orders of the Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka)
- Breach of privilege in cases of disobedience to rules or orders of the House (Part II and Schedule to the Parliament (Powers and Privileges) Act, No. 21 of 1953, Art. 78 of the Standing Orders): imprisonment, fine; admonition at the Bar of Parliament, removal from the precincts of Parliament, suspension
· Competent body to judge such cases/to apply penalties:
- Call to order: the Speaker or any other Member
- Naming, suspension, and direction to withdraw from the precincts of Parliament, offence or insult: the Speaker; the Parliament; the Speaker
- Order to discontinue the speech, order to withdraw, eventually with naming, adjournment of Parliament/suspension of the sitting, deletion from the Official Report: the Speaker
- Any other disciplinary measure, offence or insult: the Parliament
- Breach of privilege in cases of disobedience to rules or orders of the House: the Supreme Court, the Parliament
· Procedure:
- Call to order (SO 84 (xii) of the Standing Orders of the Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka)
- Naming, suspension, and direction to withdraw from the precincts of Parliament, offence or insult (SO 72 and 75 of the Standing Orders of the Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka)
- Order to discontinue the speech (SO 73 of the Standing Orders of the Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka)
- Order to withdraw, eventually with naming (SO 74 and 75 of the Standing Orders of the Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka)
- Adjournment of Parliament/suspension of the sitting (SO 76 of the Standing Orders of the Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka)
- Any other disciplinary measure, offence or insult (SO 77 (1), 78, and 84 (vi) and (viii) of the Standing Orders of the Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka)
- Deletion from the Official Report, offence or insult (SO 77 (2) of the Standing Orders of the Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka)
- Breach of privilege in cases of disobedience to rules or orders of the House (Part II and Schedule to the Parliament (Powers and Privileges) Act, No. 21 of 1953, Art. 78 of the Standing Orders)
· Penalties foreseen for violation of those rules:
- Loss of mandate (Art. 66 (c) to (e), and (i), Art. 78, 81, 89 to 91, and 99 (13) (a) of the Constitution; revocation before expiry of mandate by political parties/definitive exclusion from Parliament by the latter for civic disability/disqualification, including incompatibilities)
- Imprisonment, fine; admonition at the Bar of Parliament, removal from the precincts of Parliament, suspension (Part II and Schedule to the Parliament (Powers and Privileges) Act, No. 21 of 1953, Art. 78 of the Standing Orders)
· Competent body to judge such cases/to impose penalties:
- Loss of mandate: political parties; the Supreme Court/the Parliament;
- Imprisonment, fine; admonition at the Bar of Parliament, removal from the precincts of Parliament, suspension: the Supreme Court; the Parliament
· Procedure:
- Loss of mandate (Art. 66 (c) to (e), and (i), Art. 78, 81, 89 to 91, and 99 (13) (a) of the Constitution). In the case of revocation before expiry of mandate by political parties, MPs have means of recourse. In the case of definitive exclusion from Parliament by the latter for civic disability, they do not.
- Imprisonment, fine; admonition at the Bar of Parliament, removal from the precincts of Parliament, suspension (Part II and Schedule to the Parliament (Powers and Privileges) Act, No. 21 of 1953, Art. 78 of the Standing Orders).
Also available:
Archive of past election results for this chamber
General Information | Electoral System
Last Elections | Presidency of the Parliament | Parliamentary Mandate
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