Functions of Eastern Provincial council and its practical challenges: a critical analysis

Abstract

The Provincial councils were set up in Sri Lanka for the first time in terms of 13th Amendment to the Constitution and the Provincial Council Act. No. 42 of 1987. Elections were held to all the eight Provincial Councils for the first time in 1988. The elected North - East Provincial Council (NEPC) was constituted on 5th December 1988. It had only a Short existence as it was dissolved in June 1990. As election to the North East Provincial Council has not been held thereafter it continues to be administered under the direction of the Hon. Governor of the North East Province. After a period of about twenty yeirs, as per judgment of the Supreme Court of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka on 16 October 2006, the North East Province has been de-merged into two separate provinces; viz: Northern Province and Eastern Province. The administration of the two provinces was brought under two Governors and later an election for Eastern Provincial Council was held in 2008 and formed a provincial government in the east. But proper functions of councils has been challenged various reasons. On this backdrop, this dissertation has been prepared titled on 'Functions of Eastern Provincial Council and It's Practical Challenges: A Critical Analysis.' The prime objective of this study is to identify the practical challenges of Eastern Provincial Council in functioning freely. The supportive objective of this study is to find out background of Eastern Provincial Council such as its origin, determination factors and its functions and to examine central government's stance towards Eastern Provincial Council of Sri Lanka. This study is based on qualitative and quantitative methodology which was carried out by employing primary and secondary data. The Primary data has been collected through questionnaire, interviews. Ten person have been interviewed as key informants. The Secondary data has been collected from books, official documents, reports, journals and news paper articles. Major finding of this study is to be clearly identified that Eastern Provincial Council has been established as an empty council which has nominal power its legal and

administrative process and its free functions have been challenged due to interference of central government, lack of finance resources, Governor's positions, lack of power, lack of people's participation and power struggle etc. This study has been divided into five chapters. The Chapter one have research proposal which contains such as research title, objectives, significance, methodology, hypothesis and literature review. The second chapter deals with 13t h amendment which led to create provincial council in the island of Sri Lanka The third chapter provides introductory explanation which is about research area. The chapter four discusses the functions and practical challenges of Eastern Provincial Council. The chapter five concludes the study with recommendations to uplift the council.