 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Turnout | 73.31% ( 2.84pp) | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||||||||||||||
 Results by polling division | ||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||
Presidential elections were held in Sri Lanka on 21 December 1999. They were the fourth presidential elections held in the country's history. Incumbent presidentChandrika Kumaratunga of the governingPeople's Alliance was re-elected for a second term, receiving 51% of the vote, defeating her main opponentRanil Wickremesinghe of theUnited National Party.[1]
Chandrika Kumaratunga assumed office on 12 November 1994, after winning that year'spresidential election. Under the provisions of the Constitution, the president was elected to a six-year term and could call an early presidential election after completing four years of the first term. President Kumaratunga decided to call an early election, as she was constitutionally eligible, since four years of her first term were completed on 12 November 1998. She announced the Proclamation through Gazette Extraordinary No. 1102/22 on 20 October 1999.[2]
Nominations were accepted from 9:00 am to 11:00 am IST on 16 November 1999. The election date, 21 December 1999, was announced via Gazette Extraordinary No. 531/12 on the same day.
President Kumaratunga declared her intention to run for a second term, campaigning to continue her actions against theLTTE in the country's then-ongoingcivil war. TheUnited National Party nominatedOpposition LeaderRanil Wickremesinghe as its candidate, who called for direct negotiations with the LTTE.
During the campaign, the UNP proposed a live presidential debate between Wickremesinghe and Kumaratunga to discuss major national issues, particularly the conflict with the LTTE, economic policies, and governance.[3] Kumaratunga declined to participate, and as a result, the debate never took place.
On 18 December 1999, three days before the election, Kumaratunga was seriously wounded in a suicide-bomb attack at her final election rally inColombo. The attack was carried out by a female LTTE suicide bomber.[4] The blast killed dozens, including members of her security detail, senior police officers, journalists, and bystanders, and left over 100 others injured. Kumaratunga survived, but lost vision in her right eye and sustained facial injuries.[5] Despite her injuries, she was sworn in for a second term on 22 December 1999 while still bandaged, vowing to fight terrorism and restore peace.[6][7]
The results were officially declared on 22 December 1999, with Chandrika Kumaratunga winning a second term. She was sworn in later that same day at theTemple Trees, only hours after the announcement of the final results.[6]
| Candidate | Party | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chandrika Kumaratunga | People's Alliance | 4,312,157 | 51.12 | |
| Ranil Wickremasinghe | United National Party | 3,602,748 | 42.71 | |
| Nandana Gunathilake | Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna | 344,173 | 4.08 | |
| Harischandra Wijayatunga | Sinhalaye Mahasammatha Bhoomiputra Pakshaya | 35,854 | 0.43 | |
| W. V. M. Ranjith | Independent | 27,052 | 0.32 | |
| Rajiva Wijesinha | Liberal Party | 25,085 | 0.30 | |
| Vasudeva Nanayakkara | Left & Democratic Alliance | 23,668 | 0.28 | |
| Tennyson Edirisuriya | Independent | 21,119 | 0.25 | |
| Abdul Rasool | Sri Lanka Muslim Party | 17,359 | 0.21 | |
| Kamal Karunadasa | People's Liberation Solidarity Front | 11,333 | 0.13 | |
| Hudson Samarasinghe | Independent | 7,184 | 0.09 | |
| Ariyawansa Dissanayaka | Democratic United National Front | 4,039 | 0.05 | |
| A. W. Premawardhana | Bahujana Nidahas Peramuna | 3,983 | 0.05 | |
| Total | 8,435,754 | 100.00 | ||
| Valid votes | 8,435,754 | 97.69 | ||
| Invalid/blank votes | 199,536 | 2.31 | ||
| Total votes | 8,635,290 | 100.00 | ||
| Registered voters/turnout | 11,779,200 | 73.31 | ||
| Source:Election Commission | ||||
| Kumaratunga | 51.12% | |||
| Wickremesinghe | 42.71% | |||
| Gunathilake | 4.08% | |||
| Kumaratunga | 81.25% | |||
| Wickremesinghe | 18.75% | |||
| Presidential | |
|---|---|
| Parliamentary | |
| Provincial | |
| Local | |
| Referendums | |
| ||
| Presidency | .jpg) | |
| Premierships | ||
| Electoral history | ||
| Family |
| |
| Related | ||
.jpg)
