In a stunning post-election twist, a total of 263 local government bodies across Sri Lanka are now facing fresh elections to appoint their chairpersons after none of the competing parties secured a 50% majority, as required by law.
According to the country’s Local Government Election Act, if no single political faction gains more than half of the total votes in a provincial council, a new election must be held to choose a chairperson. With only 76 out of 339 local authorities crossing that crucial 50% threshold, the remaining councils are now heading back to the ballot box under the supervision of district-level Local Government Commissioners.
The mechanism is straightforward but potentially messy: once nominations are reopened, if more than one candidate steps forward, an internal vote must be held among elected members. That vote must continue until a candidate secures a majority. The law also allows for a secret ballot, giving councillors the power to decide their leader discreetlyoften leading to intense political negotiations, alliances, and last-minute deals.
The latest results show that the National People’s Power (NPP) has emerged as the dominant force, winning 265 councils outright. Meanwhile, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) secured just 14 councils. The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and several independent groups took control of the remaining institutions.
However, control doesn’t guarantee leadership. Under local government law, the position of chairperson can still be claimed by any candidate who garners the majority support of council members even if their party did not win the most votes overall. This opens the door for intense backroom dealings and unexpected alliances in the weeks to come.
As the political drama intensifies, the country is bracing for another wave of elections—this time not by the people, but by the politicians they just elected.
