Politics of Sri Lanka - Political Parties and Elections

Political Parties and Elections

For other political parties see List of political parties in Sri Lanka. An overview on elections and election results is included in Elections in Sri Lanka.

In August 2005, the Supreme Court ruled that Presidential Elections would be held in November 2005, resolving a long-running dispute on the length of President Kumaratunga's term. Mahinda Rajapaksa was nominated the SLFP candidate and former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe UNP candidate. The Election was held on November 17, 2005, and Mahinda Rajapaksa was elected the fifth Executive President of Sri Lanka with a 50.29% of valid votes, compared to Ranil Wickremesinghe's 48.43%. Mahinda Rajapaksa took oath as President on November 19, 2005. Ratnasiri Wickremanayake was appointed the 22nd Prime Minister on November 21, 2005, to fill the post vacated by Mahinda Rajapaksa. He was previously Prime Minister in 2000.

e • d Summary of the 2010 Sri Lankan presidential election
Candidate Party Votes %
Mahinda Rajapaksa United People's Freedom Alliance 6,015,934 57.88%
Sarath Fonseka New Democratic Front 4,173,185 40.15%
Mohomad Cassim Mohomad Ismail Democratic United National Front 39,226 0.38%
Achala Ashoka Suraweera National Development Front 26,266 0.25%
Channa Janaka Sugathsiri Gamage United Democratic Front 23,290 0.22%
W. V. Mahiman Ranjith Independent 18,747 0.18%
A. S. P Liyanage Sri Lanka Labour Party 14,220 0.14%
Sarath Manamendra New Sinhala Heritage 9,684 0.09%
M. K. Shivajilingam Independent 9,662 0.09%
Ukkubanda Wijekoon Independent 9,381 0.09%
Lal Perera Our National Front 9,353 0.09%
Siritunga Jayasuriya United Socialist Party 8,352 0.08%
Vikramabahu Karunaratne Left Front 7,055 0.07%
Aithurus M. Illias Independent 6,131 0.06%
Wije Dias Socialist Equality Party 4,195 0.04%
Sanath Pinnaduwa National Alliance 3,523 0.03%
M. Mohamed Musthaffa Independent 3,134 0.03%
Battaramulle Seelarathana Thero Jana Setha Peramuna 2,770 0.03%
Senaratna de Silva Patriotic National Front 2,620 0.03%
Aruna de Zoyza Ruhuna People's Party 2,618 0.03%
Upali Sarath Kongahage United National Alternative Front 2,260 0.02%
Muthu Bandara Theminimulla All Are Citizens, All Are Kings Organisation 2,007 0.02%
Valid Votes 10,393,613 100.00%
Rejected Votes 101,838
Total Polled 10,495,451
Registered Electors 14,088,500
Turnout 74.50%
Source: Department of Elections, Sri Lanka
e • d Summary of the 2010 Sri Lankan parliamentary election
Alliances and parties Votes % Seats
District National Total
United People's Freedom Alliance
  • All Ceylon Muslim Congress
  • Ceylon Workers' Congress
  • Communist Party of Sri Lanka
  • Eelam People's Democratic Party1
  • Jathika Hela Urumaya
  • Lanka Sama Samaja Party
  • Mahajana Eksath Peramuna
  • National Congress
  • National Freedom Front
  • Sri Lanka Freedom Party
  • Up-Country People's Front2
 4,846,388 60.33% 127 17 144
United National Front3
  • Democratic People's Front
  • Sri Lanka Muslim Congress
  • United National Party
 2,357,057 29.34% 51 9 60
Tamil National Alliance4
  • Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front
  • Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi
  • Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization
 233,190 2.90% 13 1 14
Democratic National Alliance
  • Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna
 441,251 5.49% 5 2 7
Independent lists 38,947 0.48% 0 0 0
Up-Country People's Front2 24,670 0.31% 0 0 0
Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal 20,284 0.25% 0 0 0
Sinhalaye Mahasammatha Bhoomiputra Pakshaya 12,170 0.15% 0 0 0
Tamil United Liberation Front 9,223 0.11% 0 0 0
Tamil National People's Front5
  • All Ceylon Tamil Congress
 7,544 0.09% 0 0 0
Democratic People's Liberation Front
  • People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam
 6,036 0.08% 0 0 0
Sri Lanka National Front 5,313 0.07% 0 0 0
Others 31,644 0.39% 0 0 0
Valid Votes 8,033,717 100.00% 196 29 225
Rejected Votes 596,972
Total Polled 8,630,689
Registered Electors 14,088,500
Turnout 61.26%
Source: Department of Elections, Sri Lanka

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