Northern Provincial Council

Sri Lanka Northern Province Provincial election 2013

Northern Provincial Council (NPC) is one of the nine provincial councils in Sri Lanka, which is an island country in South Asia. The council was established in 1987 following the 13th Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka, aimed at creating a decentralized government system and addressing the ethnic tensions between the majority Sinhalese and minority Tamil populations. The Northern Provincial Council specifically serves the Northern Province of Sri Lanka, an area that was significantly affected by the Sri Lankan Civil War, a conflict that lasted from 1983 to 2009 between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a militant organization that sought to create an independent Tamil state.

History

The inception of the Northern Provincial Council is deeply intertwined with the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka. The 13th Amendment, which led to the creation of provincial councils, was part of the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord signed in 1987, an attempt to resolve the civil conflict by decentralizing power. However, the establishment of the council was met with resistance from various groups. The LTTE, which controlled significant portions of the Northern Province at various times, opposed the provincial council system, seeing it as inadequate for the autonomy they demanded.

The first elections for the Northern Provincial Council were held in 1988, but the council faced numerous challenges, including a lack of genuine power and autonomy, as well as the ongoing civil war. For many years, the council did not function effectively due to these issues and the direct governance of the province by the central government.

It was not until 2013, four years after the end of the civil war, that elections were held again for the council. This marked a significant step in the post-war reconciliation and devolution of power process in Sri Lanka.

Function and Administration

The Northern Provincial Council is responsible for the administration of the Northern Province, including areas such as education, health, agriculture, housing, and local development projects. The council consists of elected representatives, with a Chief Minister at its head. The council has the authority to enact statutes in certain areas, although its powers are limited and subject to the central government's oversight.

Challenges and Criticisms

The effectiveness of the Northern Provincial Council, like other provincial councils in Sri Lanka, has been a subject of debate. Critics argue that the councils do not have sufficient power or financial resources to make significant impacts on their provinces. There are also concerns about the central government's influence over the councils, which can undermine their autonomy.

Furthermore, the legacy of the civil war and ongoing issues related to land, military presence, and the rights of the Tamil population in the Northern Province continue to pose challenges to the council's operations and the broader reconciliation efforts in Sri Lanka.

Recent Developments

In recent years, there have been calls for further devolution of powers to the provincial councils, including the Northern Provincial Council, to address the longstanding demands for greater autonomy by the Tamil population. The future of the council and its role in Sri Lanka's governance and reconciliation process remains a critical issue in the country's political landscape.