User:Dan arndt/Nuwara Eliya Municipal Council

Nuwara Eliya Municipal Council (නුවරඑළිය ප්‍රාදේශීය සභාව Nuwara Eliya Pradeshiya Sabha) is the municipal council for Nuwara Eliya, the fourth largest city in the Central Province of Sri Lanka. The Council is responsible for providing a variety of local public services including roads, sanitation, drains, housing, libraries, public parks and recreational facilities. Established in January 1949 as a successor to Nuwara Eliya Development Committee, it currently has 23 members elected using the mixed electoral system.

Between 1865 and 1870 the town was plagued by cholera, which killed four people, including Chief Justice William Hackett. That experience prompted the authorities to set up a health and development centre in the town, in 1874.

In 1878 Nuwara Eliya's growth led to the establishment of a Regional Health and Development Committee, which had six members and was chaired by the government agent for Nuwara Eliya.

In 1896 a Board of Improvement was established with more power has been created because of the fast increase of population in the city.

A town development board was established in 1921, and this became a town council in 1932, and a municipal council on 1 January 1949.

When it has been noticed that the population increase has become higher than the British people, ultimately the solution made to divide the city into 05 divisions and to hold an election for appointing members, under the act no.05 of the 'Development Committee'. Accordingly the First Council of Nuwara-Eliya has been created on 1925 January 01st appointing 09 elected members. The Agent of the government has been appointed as the Secretary - Head of the Committee.

After the approval of the 'Municipal Council Ordinance', in 1933 the Council is been created carrying the Head, who has been elected through an public election.

The city has been increased in population and in 1949 Nuwara-Eliya has been declared as the 'Municipal Council' under the approved Municipal Council Ordinance of 1947.

The first Mayor of Nuwara-Eliya was J. J. Kanagarathnam in the year of 1949 & 1950. There have been nineteen mayors rough out the history of about 50 years the Municipal Council of Nuwara-Eliya has created 19 Mayors.

Administrative units
Nuwara Eliya Municipal Council is divided into fourteen Grama Niladhari Divisions (GN Divisions).

Representation
The Nuwara Eliya Municipal Council is divided into 10 wards and is represented by 23 councillors, elected using an open list proportional representation system. Wards that belong to the Nuwara Eliya Municipal Council are listed below.


 * 1) Bambarakele
 * 2) Nuwara Eliya
 * 3) Hawa Eliya North
 * 4) Hawa Eliya West
 * 5) Hawae Eliya East
 * 6) Nuwara Eliya Central
 * 7) Kalukele
 * 8) Sadathenna
 * 9) Magastota

Mayors

 * 1949-1950 - J. J. Kanagarathnam
 * D. A. Seneviratne
 * D. R. Seneviratne
 * 1952-1954 - V. A. Vijayaratna Singham
 * 1954-1956 - S. B. Jayasekera
 * 1956 - D. P. M. Weerasinghe
 * 1963 - T. William Fernando
 * 1967 - D. B. Welagedara
 * 1977
 * 1996-1998 - Nalin Thilaka Herath
 * 1998-2002 - A. W. D. Bandula Seneviratne
 * 2002 - Chandana Lal Karunaratne
 * 2006-2008 - Chandana Lal Karunaratne
 * 2009-2011 - Chandana Lal Karunaratne
 * 2011-2018 - Mahinda Dodampe Gamage
 * 2018-present - Chandana Lal Karunaratne