Introduction

In 1987 the 13th Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka was passed.  According to this amendment, a Provincial Council set up in any province in Sri Lanka is made up of people’s representatives elected by the people to represent different districts in the province.  As such it is a constitutionally constituted institution which respects democratic rights of the people.

In the Western Provincial Council, the first Provincial Council was established in 1987, the second in 1993, the third in 1999 and the fourth in 2004.

The Western Provincial Council is made up of 102 members appointed to represent Colombo, Gampaha and Kalutara districts and two members appointed for bonus seats.  Although it is the smallest province geographically, when one considers the number of representatives it takes pride of place.  It is second only to the Sri Lankan Parliament when we compare it with other democratic representative institutions in the country.

When the history of Sri Lankan Parliament is considered, it is found that the number of members exceeds the numbers that the first, second and third Parliaments had within the authority of the Provincial Council area, live about 28% of the whole country’s population.  The commercial as well as the administrative capital and many other large towns are situated here.  The population is a heterogeneous  one ethnically and religiously and also in urban and rural characteristics.  The special quality of the Western Provincial Council is its multi- faceted nature.

The activities of the Provincial Council are carried out under the direction of the Chairman.  The tasks of the Council are carried out according to a set of regulations which resemble the Standing Orders of Parliament.