Colombo Municipal Council කොළඹ මහා නගර සභාව கொழும்பு மாநகர சபை | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| Houses | Unicameral |
Term limits | Four years |
| History | |
| Founded | 1866; 159 years ago (1866) |
| Leadership | |
Hemantha Kumara, NPP | |
J. M. Bhadrani Jayawardena | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 1Mayor and 116 Municipal Councilors |
 | |
Political groups | Government (61) Opposition (56) |
Length of term | Four years |
| Elections | |
Last election | 6 May 2025 |
Next election | TBD |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| Town Hall, Colombo | |
| Website | |
| www | |
TheColombo Municipal Council is themunicipal governing body ofColombo, the largest city and financial centre inSri Lanka. It consists of a directly elected executiveMayor of Colombo, and elected 119 municipal councilors. The council was formed in 1865, it first met in 1866 and derives most of its powers fromMunicipal Council Ordinance No. 29 of 1947.[1]
It is the oldest and the largest local government authority in Sri Lanka which covers a residentpopulation of over 600,000 (as of 2001). It is one of the largest employers in the country with over 12,000 employees.[2]
Colombo is acharter city, with aMayor Council form of government.Colombo's mayor and the council members are elected through local government elections held once in four years. It has 16 standing committees on various subjects.
The Colombo Municipal Council under theMunicipal Council Ordinance have several elected and appointed officers. These are:
TheMayor serves as the head of the council assisted by aDeputy Mayor. AMunicipal Commissioner heads the staff and administration municipal, which is made up of 16 departments. The Municipal Commissioner is appointed by the minister of local government or which ever minister the subject is vested under. Usually the appointment would be made from an officer seconded from theSri Lanka Administrative Service. In the absence of the mayor or deputy mayor or following the end of term of the council, the commissioner would serve as the officer implementing the powers and functions of the Colombo municipal council. Municipal Commissioner is entitled to use ofPark House, Colombo as an official residence which is a 16 bedroom mansion at Albert Crescent, Colombo 7.[3][4]
The Colombo municipal council is made up of 16 departments. These include:
The municipal council is responsible for:
The Colombo Municipal Council covers the Colombo and Thimbirigasyaya Divisional Secretariat Divisions. According to the 2011-12 Census the population living within the boundaries of the CMC was 555,031. Of this number, 318,048 lived in the Colombo DSD (the Northern part of the city) and 236,983 lived in the Thimbirigasyaya DSD (the Southern part).[5]
For the past 50 years the city had been dominated by theUnited National Party (UNP), aright leaning party, whose business friendly policies resonate with the population of Colombo. The UNP as held majority in the council and post of Mayor since the party was formed in 1947, with two brief exceptions. In 1954, the UNP lost the municipal election to theTrotskyistLanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) and DrN. M. Perera was elected Mayor. The LSSP won several local government elections that year including nine Village Councils and three Urban Councils, apart from the Colombo Municipal Council.[6] In 2006, the UNP nomination list for the 2006 Municipal elections was rejected,[7] and an Independent Group supported by the UNP won the elections.[8]Uvais Mohamed Imitiyas was subsequently appointed Mayor of Colombo.[9] The former MayoressRosy Senanayake, the first female Mayor of Colombo, was elected in 2018 representing the UNP.
Colombo as the largest city and former capital of Sri Lanka, has been at the center of Sri Lankan politics. The Colombo municipal council has been an entry route for many politicians. Four national leaders, which includes two presidents,J. R. Jayewardene andRanasinghe Premadasa; one prime ministerS. W. R. D. Bandaranaike, and an independence activistVivienne Goonewardene started their political career by contesting for the Colombo municipal council.
The Colombo Municipal Council Municipal Council is divided into 47 wards and is represented by 117 councillors, elected using anopen listproportional representation system.[10]
Results of thelocal government election held on 6 May 2025.[11]
| Alliances and parties | Votes | % | Seats | Seat change | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National People's Power | 81,814 | 36.92% | 48 |  42 | |
| Samagi Jana Balawegaya | 58,375 | 26.34% | 29 | New party | |
| United National Party | 26,297 | 11.87% | 13 |  47 | |
| Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna | 9,341 | 4.21% | 5 | 18 | |
| Sri Lanka Muslim Congress | 8,630 | 3.89% | 4 | 4 | |
| Independent Group 3 | 5,934 | 2.68% | 3 | 3 | |
| Independent Group 5 | 4,659 | 2.1% | 2 | 2 | |
| United Peace Alliance | 4,473 | 2.02% | 2 | 8 | |
| Sarvajana Balaya | 3,911 | 1.76% | 2 | New party | |
| Independent Group 4 | 3,640 | 1.64% | 2 | 2 | |
| People's Alliance | 2,754 | 1.24% | 1 | 11 | |
| National Freedom Front | 2,398 | 1.08% | 1 | New party | |
| United Republican Front | 2,157 | 0.97% | 1 | New party | |
| Independent Group 1 | 1,909 | 0.86% | 1 | 1 | |
| Independent Group 2 | 1,791 | 0.81% | 1 | 1 | |
| Democratic National Alliance | 1,370 | 0.62% | 1 | 1 | |
| National Peoples Party | 950 | 0.43% | 1 | 1 | |
| Valid Votes | 221,624 | 96.96% | 117 | 2 | |
| Rejected Votes | 5,609 | 2.47% | |||
| Total Polled | 221,624 | ||||
| Registered Electors | 394,533 | ||||
| Turnout | 57.6 % | ||||
Results of thelocal government election held on 10 February 2018.[12]
| Alliances and parties | Votes | % | Seats | Seat change | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United National Party | 131,353 | 46.03% | 60 | 36 | |
| Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna | 60,487 | 21.20% | 23 | New party | |
| United People's Freedom Alliance | 31,421 | 11.01% | 12 | 4 | |
| United Peace Alliance | 27,168 | 9.52% | 10 | New party | |
| Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna | 14,234 | 4.99% | 6 | 5 | |
| Sri Lanka National Force | 3,251 | 1.14% | 1 | New party | |
| Ceylon Worker's Congress | 2,853 | 1.00% | 1 | 1 | |
| United National Front | 2,771 | 0.97% | 1 | 1 | |
| United National Freedom Front | 1,380 | 0.48% | 1 | New party | |
| Valid Votes | 285,380 | 97.60% | 115 | 62 | |
| Rejected Votes | 7,023 | 2.40% | |||
| Total Polled | 227,233 | ||||
| Registered Electors | 394,044 | ||||
| Turnout | 74.21% | ||||
Results of thelocal government election held on 10 February 2018.[13]
| Alliances and parties | Votes | % | Seats | Seat change | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United National Party | 101,920 | 43.01% | 24 | 24 | |
| United People's Freedom Alliance | 77,089 | 32.53% | 16 | 2 | |
| Democratic Peoples Front | 26,229 | 11.07% | 6 | 2 | |
| Sri Lanka Muslim Congress | 9,979 | 4.21% | 2 | 2 | |
| Democratic Unity Alliance | 7,830 | 3.30% | 2 |  | |
| Independent Group 2 | 4,085 | 1.72% | 1 | | |
| Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna | 3,162 | 1.33% | 1 | 1 | |
| Independent Group 1 | 2,962 | 1.25% | 1 | 1 | |
| Valid Votes | 205,235 | 95.48% | 53 | | |
| Rejected Votes | 9,725 | 4.52% | |||
| Total Polled | 214,960 | ||||
| Registered Electors | 395,914 | ||||
| Turnout | 54.29% | ||||
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