Parliamentary elections have been held in Sri Lanka since the first in 1947, under three different constitutions: the Soulbury Constitution, the 1972 Constitution, and the currently enforced 1978 Constitution. Sixteen parliamentary elections have been held up to and including the 2020 election. The seventeenth is scheduled for 14 November 2024.
The current Parliament of Sri Lanka has 225 members elected for a five-year term. 196 members are elected from 22 multi-seat constituencies through an open list proportional representation with a 5% electoral threshold; voters can rank up to three candidates on the party list they vote for. The other 29 seats are elected from a national list, with list members appointed by party secretaries and seats allocated according to the island-wide proportional vote the party obtains.
Every proclamation dissolving parliament must be published in The Sri Lanka Gazette and must specify the nomination period and the date of the election. The first meeting of the new parliament must occur within three months of the previous parliament's dissolution.
History In 1833 the Colebrooke-Cameron Commission created the Legislative Council of Ceylon, the first step in representative government in British Ceylon. Initially this council consisted of 16 members which included the British Governor, the 5 appointed members of the Executive Council of Ceylon, 4 other government officials, and 6 appointed unofficial members. In 1889 the number of appointed unofficial members was increased to 8.
Legislative Council elections: 1911–1924
Election year Legislative Council Total seats Description 1911 1st 21 11 official and 10 non-official members. Of the non-official members, 6 were appointed by the governor and the remaining 4 were elected. 1917 2nd 1921 3rd 37 14 official and 23 unofficial members. Of the non-official members, 4 were appointed by the governor and the remaining 19 were elected. 1924 4th 49 12 official and 37 unofficial members. Of the non-official members, 8 were appointed by the governor and the remaining 29 were elected.
State Council elections: 1931–1936
Duration + Dates of nomination, election, dissolution and duration of State Councils State Council Date of Duration Nomination Election First meeting Dissolved 1st 4 May 1931 13–20 June 1931 6 July 1931 7 December 1935 4 years, 5 months and 1 day 2nd 15 January 1936 22 February – 7 March 1936 16 March 1936 4 July 1947 11 years, 3 months and 18 days
Elections Election year State Council Total seats Description 1931 1st 58 The State Council of Ceylon was the unicameral legislature of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), established in 1931 by the Donoughmore Constitution. It introduced universal adult franchise to the colony for the first time, replacing the Legislative Council of Ceylon, the original legislative body. 1936 2nd
Parliamentary elections: 1947–2024
Duration + Dates of nomination, election, dissolution and duration of Parliaments Parliament Date of Duration Nomination Election First meeting Dissolved 1st 26 July 1947 23 August – 20 September 1947 14 October 1947 8 April 1952 2nd 28 April 1952 24–30 May 1952 9 June 1952 18 February 1956 3rd 8 March 1956 5–10 April 1956 19 April 1956 5 December 1959 4th 4 January 1960 19 March 1960 30 March 1960 23 April 1960 5th 20 May 1960 20 July 1960 5 August 1960 17 December 1964 6th 11 January 1965 22 March 1965 5 April 1965 25 March 1970 7th 23 April 1970 27 May 1970 7 June 1970 With the promulgation of the 1972 Constitution on 22 May 1972, the 1st National State Assembly superseded the 7th Parliament of Ceylon. 1st 22 May 1972 18 May 1977 2nd 6 June 1977 21 July 1977 4 August 1977 With the promulgation of the 1978 Constitution on 7 September 1978, the 8th Parliament of Sri Lanka (1st Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka) superseded the 2nd National State Assembly. The 1982 referendum on extending the parliamentary term by six years was held in Sri Lanka on 22 December 1982. Through the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution, the term of the 8th Parliament was extended until 4 August 1989. 8th 7 September 1978 20 December 1988 9th 6 January 1989 15 February 1989 9 March 1989 24 June 1994 10th 11 July 1994 16 August 1994 25 August 1994 18 August 2000 11th 28 August – 4 September 2000 10 October 2000 18 October 2000 10 October 2001 12th 20–27 October 2001 5 December 2001 19 December 2001 7 February 2004 13th 17–24 February 2004 2 April 2004 22 April 2004 9 February 2010 14th 19–26 February 2010 8 and 20 April 2010 22 April 2010 26 June 2015 15th 6–13 July 2015 17 August 2015 1 September 2015 2 March 2020 16th 12–19 March 2020 5 August 2020 20 August 2020 24 September 2024 17th 4–11 October 2024 14 November 2024 21 November 2024 Incumbent
Elections
+ Elections, seats and Prime Ministers Election Parliament Total seats Turnout Largest party Seats won Seat majority Seat percentage Prime Minister(s) 1947 1st 95 55.81% 42 -6 44.21% 1952 2nd 70.7% 54 +6 56.84% 1956 3rd 69.04% 51 +3 53.68% 1960 (March) 4th 151 77.6% 50 -26 33.11% 1960 (July) 5th 75.9% 75 -1 49.67% 1965 6th 81.13% 66 -10 43.71% 1970 7th 85.2% 91 +15 60.26% 1977 8th 168 86.7% 140 +55 83.33% 1989 9th 225 63.6% 125 +12 55.56% 1994 10th 76.24% 105 -8 46.67% 2000 11th 75.63% 107 -6 47.56% 2001 12th 76.03% 96 -17 42.67% 2004 13th 75.96% 105 -8 46.67% 2010 14th 61.26% 144 +31 64% 2015 15th 77.66% 106 -7 47.11% 2020 16th 75.89% 145 +32 64.44% 2024 17th 68.93% 159 +46 70.67% * 2024 Sri Lankan parliamentary election results:
Notes
References
External links Parliament of Sri Lanka official website Election Commission of Sri Lanka official website