Polling divisions in Sri Lanka are subdivisions of the country's electoral districts. From the 1st parliamentary election in 1947 to the 8th in 1977, members were elected to the parliament using a first-past-the-post system from these polling divisions. This system changed in 1978.[1]
Polling divisions of Sri Lanka | |
---|---|
Category | Electoral districts |
Location | Sri Lanka |
Created by | 1978 Constitution |
Created |
|
Number | 160 (as of 2024) |
Government |
The 1978 Constitution introduced a proportional representation electoral system, electing Members of Parliament from 22 multi-member electoral districts.[2][3]
All but two electoral districts correspond to their respective administrative districts. The exceptions are Jaffna, covering both Jaffna District and Kilinochchi District, and Vanni, covering Mannar District, Mullaitivu District, and Vavuniya District. The first general election under this system was the 1989 election.
Polling divisions are still maintained for declaring election results, and for administrative purposes to facilitate the management and organisation of electoral processes.[4]
Electoral districts
editProvinces | Districts | Registered electors | Number of allocated seats | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2020 | 2024 | 2020 | 2024 | Change (+/-) | ||
Western | Colombo | 1,709,209 | 1,765,351 | 19 | 18 | 1 |
Gampaha | 1,785,964 | 1,881,129 | 18 | 19 | 1 | |
Kalutara | 972,319 | 1,024,244 | 10 | 11 | 1 | |
Central | Kandy | 1,129,100 | 1,191,399 | 12 | 12 | |
Matale | 407,569 | 429,991 | 5 | 5 | ||
Nuwara Eliya | 577,717 | 605,292 | 8 | 8 | ||
Southern | Galle | 867,709 | 903,163 | 9 | 9 | |
Matara | 659,587 | 686,175 | 7 | 7 | ||
Hambantota | 493,192 | 520,940 | 7 | 7 | ||
Northern | Jaffna | 571,848 | 593,187 | 7 | 6 | 1 |
Vanni | 287,024 | 306,081 | 6 | 6 | ||
Eastern | Batticaloa | 409,808 | 449,686 | 5 | 5 | |
Ampara | 513,979 | 555,432 | 7 | 7 | ||
Trincomalee | 288,868 | 315,925 | 4 | 4 | ||
North Western | Kurunegala | 1,348,787 | 1,417,226 | 15 | 15 | |
Puttalam | 614,374 | 663,673 | 8 | 8 | ||
North Central | Anuradhapura | 693,634 | 741,862 | 9 | 9 | |
Polonnaruwa | 331,109 | 351,302 | 5 | 5 | ||
Uva | Badulla | 668,166 | 705,772 | 9 | 9 | |
Monaragala | 372,155 | 399,166 | 6 | 6 | ||
Sabaragamuwa | Ratnapura | 877,582 | 923,736 | 11 | 11 | |
Kegalle | 684,189 | 709,622 | 9 | 9 | ||
National List | — | — | — | 29 | 29 | |
Total | — | 16,263,885 | 17,140,354 | 225 | 225 |
Polling divisions
editWestern Province
editElectoral districts | Polling divisions | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Colombo | 1. Colombo North | 2. Colombo Central | 3. Borella | 4. Colombo East | 5. Colombo West |
6. Dehiwala | 7. Ratmalana | 8. Kolonnawa | 9. Kotte | 10. Kaduwela | |
11. Avissawella | 12. Homagama | 13. Maharagama | 14. Kesbewa | 15. Moratuwa | |
Gampaha | 16. Wattala | 17. Negombo | 18. Katana | 19. Divulapitiya | 20. Mirigama |
21. Minuwangoda | 22. Attanagalla | 23. Gampaha | 24. Ja Ela | 25. Mahara | |
26. Dompe | 27. Biyagama | 27. Biyagama | 28. Kelaniya | — | |
Kalutara | 29. Panadura | 30. Bandaragama | 31. Horana | 32. Bulathsinhala | 33. Mathugama |
34. Kalutara | 35. Beruwala | 36. Agalawatta | — | — |
Central Province
editElectoral districts | Polling divisions | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kandy | 37. Galagedara | 38. Harispattuwa | 39. Pathadumbara | 40. Ududumbara | 41. Teldeniya |
42. Kundasale | 43. Hewaheta | 44. Senkadagala | 45. Mahanuwara | 46. Yatinuwara | |
47. Udunuwara | 48. Gampola | 49. Nawalapitiya | — | — | |
Matale | 50. Dambulla | 51. Laggala | 52. Matale | 53. Rattota | — |
Nuwara Eliya | 54. Nuwara Eliya–Maskeliya | 55. Kothmale | 56. Hanguranketha | 57. Walapane | — |
Southern Province
editElectoral districts | Polling divisions | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Galle | 58. Balapitiya | 59. Ambalangoda | 60. Karandeniya | 61. Bentara–Elpitiya | 62. Hiniduma |
63. Baddegama | 64. Ratgama | 65. Galle | 66. Akmeemana | 67. Habaraduwa | |
Matara | 68. Deniyaya | 69. Hakmana | 70. Akuressa | 71. Kamburupitiya | 72. Deniyaya |
73. Matara | 74. Weligama | — | — | — | |
Hambantota | 75. Mulkirigala | 76. Beliatta | 77. Tangalle | 78. Thissamaharama | — |
Northern Province
editElectoral districts | Polling divisions | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jaffna | 79. Kayts | 80. Vaddukoddai | 81. Kankesanthurai | 82. Manipay | 83. Kopay |
84. Udupiddy | 85. Point Pedro | 86. Chavakachcheri | 87. Nallur | 88. Jaffna | |
89. Kilinochchi | — | — | — | — | |
Vanni | 90. Mannar | 91. Vavuniya | 92. Mullaitivu | — | — |
Eastern Province
editElectoral districts | Polling divisions | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Batticaloa | 93. Kalkudah | 94. Batticaloa | 95. Paddiruppu | — |
Ampara | 96. Ampara | 97. Samanthurai | 98. Kalmunai | 99. Pothuvil |
Trincomalee | 100. Seruvila | 101. Trincomalee | 102. Muttur | — |
North Western Province
editElectoral districts | Polling divisions | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kurunegala | 103. Galgamuwa | 104. Nikaweratiya | 105. Yapahuwa | 106. Hiriyala | 107. Wariyapola |
108. Panduwasnuwara | 109. Bingiriya | 110. Katugampola | 111. Kuliyapitiya | 112. Dambadeniya | |
113. Polgahawela | 114. Kurunegala | 115. Mawathagama | 116. Dodangaslanda | — | |
Puttalam | 117. Puttalam | 118. Anamaduwa | 119. Chilaw | 120. Nattandiya | 121. Wennappuwa |
North Central Province
editElectoral districts | Polling divisions | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Anuradhapura | 122. Medawachchiya | 123. Horowpothana | 124. Anuradhapura East | 125. Anuradhapura West | 126. Kalawewa |
127. Mihinthale | 128. Kekirawa | — | — | — | |
Polonnaruwa | 129. Minneriya | 130. Medirigiriya | 131. Polonnaruwa | — | — |
Uva Province
editElectoral districts | Polling divisions | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Badulla | 132. Mahiyanganaya | 133. Viyaluwa | 134. Passara | 135. Badulla | 136. Hali Ela |
137. Uva Paranagama | 138. Welimada | 139. Bandarawela | 140. Haputale | — | |
Moneragala | 141. Bibile | 142. Monaragala | 143. Wellawaya | — | — |
Sabaragamuwa Province
editElectoral districts | Polling divisions | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ratnapura | 144. Eheliyagoda | 145. Ratnapura | 146. Pelmadulla | 147. Balangoda | 148. Rakwana |
149. Nivithigala | 150. Kalawana | 151. Kolonna | — | — | |
Kegalle | 152. Dedigama | 153. Galigamuwa | 154. Kegalle | 155. Rambukkana | 156. Mawanella |
157. Aranayaka | 158. Yatiyanthota | 159. Ruwanwella | 160. Deraniyagala | — |
References
edit- ^ Rafi, Talal (17 May 2018). "A look at British politics: Should Sri Lanka revert to First Past the Post system?". Daily FT. Archived from the original on 26 April 2024. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
- ^ "The Constitution of the D. S. R. of Sri Lanka" (PDF). The Parliament of Sri Lanka. 30 March 2023. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 September 2024. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
- ^ "The Electoral System". The Parliament of Sri Lanka. 14 December 2012. Archived from the original on 6 September 2024. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
- ^ "Notice on the division of an electoral district into polling divisions and the sub division of a polling division into polling districts in terms of Section 9(3) of the Registration of Electors Act, No 44 of 1980". Election Commission of Sri Lanka. 2024. Archived from the original on 26 September 2024. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
- ^ "Parliamentary Election Results – 2020". Election Commission of Sri Lanka. 7 June 2020. Archived from the original on 23 September 2024. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
- ^ "Presidential Election Results – 2024". Election Commission of Sri Lanka. 22 September 2024. Archived from the original on 26 October 2024. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
- ^ "Number of members to be returned for each Electoral District as required under Article 98(8) of the Constitution – After certification of 2024(1) Supplementory Electoral Register (2024.02.01 – 2024.05.31) as at 2024.07.08" (PDF). Election Commission of Sri Lanka. October 2024. Archived from the original on 17 October 2024. Retrieved 17 October 2024.