Provincial Council elections are unlikely to be held before 2027, according to Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) General Secretary Tilvin Silva, who claimed funds set aside for the polls were used instead to deal with the impact of Cyclone Ditwah.
Silva made the remarks during a visit to Jaffna for the opening of the National People's Power's (NPP) new district office, where he was questioned by journalists on whether the government intended to conduct Provincial Council elections before the end of this year.
Responding to the question, Silva said the government had originally allocated funds for the election in its most recent budget, but those plans had been disrupted by the devastating impact of Cyclone Ditwah.
According to Silva, the government was forced to allocate an additional Rs. 500 billion outside the budget to fund recovery and reconstruction efforts following the cyclone.
“The funds that were allocated for Ditwah included funds set aside for the election. Therefore, we will not be able to hold the election this year,” he said.
He further stated that legal complications surrounding the electoral system remained unresolved.
Silva noted that a Parliamentary Select Committee was currently examining the issue and would determine the electoral framework under which Provincial Council elections should be conducted.
“Once the committee’s report is submitted, we can consider its recommendations. We think that the PC election can be held, most probably by next year, if no further issues come our way,” he said.
Provincial Council elections in Sri Lanka have not been held since 2018, leaving the institutions effectively dormant for several years. The prolonged delay has repeatedly attracted criticism.
The issue carries particular significance in the Tamil homeland, where Provincial Councils emerged from the Indo-Lanka Accord and the Thirteenth Amendment, measures that successive Sri Lankan governments have presented as mechanisms for limited devolution of power.
Silva also rejected suggestions that the government was facing pressure from India to expedite the elections.
“The NPP government and the Modi government enjoyed an extremely cordial relationship. We have a very good understanding with each other,” he said.
India has consistently reaffirmed its support for the implementation of the Thirteenth Amendment and the holding of Provincial Council elections, often presenting them as important components of political devolution and post-war reconciliation.
During his remarks, Silva claimed the NPP government had addressed many of the longstanding concerns facing people in the North.
He argued that the administration had created “a country devoid of racism” and claimed that most civilian lands occupied by the military had been released. He further stated that roads previously closed to civilians had been reopened and that new infrastructure projects were underway.
His comments have attracted scrutiny in the North-East, where concerns persist over continuing military occupation of civilian lands, the presence of military camps, unresolved cases of enforced disappearance, restrictions on memorialisation and ongoing demands for meaningful political self-determination.
