Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri visited Colombo on August 5, 2026, and asked Sri Lanka to hold Provincial Council elections soon.
India has urged Sri Lanka to conduct its long-delayed Provincial Council elections soon and fully implement constitutional provisions intended to address Tamil aspirations.
The request came during Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri’s official visit to Sri Lanka on August 5, 2026.
Misri met President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath and Foreign Secretary Aruni Ranaraja. He also held talks with Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and representatives of Sri Lanka’s Tamil communities.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs said Misri called for Provincial Council elections “at the earliest.” He also urged Sri Lanka to fully implement constitutional provisions that address the aspirations of the Tamil community.
Provincial Council Elections Remain Long Delayed
Sri Lanka’s Provincial Councils have operated without elected representatives for several years. Governors appointed by the President currently oversee the provincial administrations.
The country last held a Provincial Council election in 2014. Since then, unresolved legal and procedural issues have repeatedly prevented fresh polls.
The problems followed changes introduced through the Provincial Councils Elections Amendment Act No. 17 of 2017. The law requires a delimitation process to determine electoral divisions.
However, authorities have not completed that process. Disagreements over the electoral system have also delayed the elections.
Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya previously told Parliament that the government was studying two options. It could complete the delimitation process or amend the 2017 law so elections could proceed under another arrangement.
She said the 2026 Budget had allocated funds for the polls. However, the government must first resolve the outstanding legal and procedural issues.
The government has still not announced a confirmed nationwide election date.
The Centre for Policy Alternatives has warned that the prolonged absence of elected councils has weakened accountability and centralised provincial decision-making. It said the delay had also created a vacuum in democratic governance.
India Reaffirms Its Position on Devolution
India has consistently supported meaningful implementation of Sri Lanka’s constitutional framework on provincial devolution. Its position has focused particularly on political representation for Tamil communities in the Northern and Eastern provinces.
Misri’s latest remarks show that Provincial Council elections remain an important part of India’s diplomatic engagement with Sri Lanka.
His visit also covered economic cooperation, infrastructure development, energy connectivity, trade and India-supported projects.
Both sides reviewed Indian credit facilities for railway development and livestock. They also discussed the Northern Railway, the Sampur solar power project, a proposed electricity grid connection and plans to develop Trincomalee as an energy hub.
Misri raised the continuing dispute over Indian fishermen and vessels detained by Sri Lankan authorities. He requested their early release and urged both countries to address the issue on humanitarian grounds while talks continue.
Security cooperation was also discussed. India welcomed President Dissanayake’s earlier assurance that Sri Lankan territory would not be used in a way harmful to India’s security interests.
India’s renewed call has increased diplomatic attention on the delayed polls. However, the Sri Lankan government and Parliament must resolve the legal barriers before setting an election date.
