2005 Sri Lankan presidential election

none Sri Lanka presidential 1999 Sri Lankan presidential election 1999 2010 Sri Lankan presidential election 2010 17 November 2005 73.73% ( 0.42pp) Mahinda Rajapaksa 2006.jpg Mahinda Rajapaksa 1609F7 Sri Lanka Freedom Party United People's Freedom Alliance 4,887,152 50.29% Defense.gov News Photo 031103-D-2987S-069 (cropped).jpg Ranil Wickremesinghe United National Party UNF 4,706,366 48.43% Wahlkreiskarte Praesidentschaft Sri Lanka 2005.svg Results by polling division President Chandrika Kumaratunga Mahinda Rajapaksa Sri Lanka Freedom Party Sri Lanka Freedom Party Presidential elections were held in Sri Lanka on 17 November 2005. They were the fifth presidential elections held in the country's history. Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa of the governing United People's Freedom Alliance was narrowly elected, defeating his main opponent Ranil Wickremesinghe of the United National Party, and winning 50.29% of the vote.Will Ranil Wickremesinghe survive the September 21 Presidential elections? https://www.deccanherald.com/world/will-ranil-wickremesinghe-survive-the-september-21-presidential-elections-3194633 2025-11-14 Deccan Herald en Background Then-incumbent president Chandrika Kumaratunga was constitutionally barred from running for a third term in office.Parliament of Sri Lanka - Constitution https://www.parliament.lk/constitution/main 2025-11-14 www.parliament.lk en-gb The 3rd Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka stated that if a president was re-elected for a second term via an early presidential election, their second term starts on the next date corresponding to the beginning of their first term.THIRD AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION https://lankalaw.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/1982Y0V0C0A3S.html 2025-11-14 lankalaw.net Therefore, Kumaratunga's second term would have started on 12 November 2000, as the last election was held on 21 December 1999. Despite this, Kumaratunga was inaugurated to her second term on 22 December 1999, just hours after the election results were announced.UPI Focus;NEWLN:Injured Sri Lankan president sworn in - UPI Archives https://www.upi.com/Archives/1999/12/22/UPI-FocusNEWLNInjured-Sri-Lankan-president-sworn-in/4441945838800/ 2025-11-14 UPI en According to the Constitution, if Kumaratunga's second term began on 12 November 2000, her term would have ended on 12 November 2006, therefore the next presidential election should take place between 12 September and 12 October 2006. Since Kumaratunga was inaugurated to her second term on 22 December 1999, however, the public argued that the next presidential election should instead take place between 22 October and 22 November 2005.2004-08-22 Sri Lankan president wants term extended https://iol.co.za/news/world/2004-01-16-sri-lankan-president-wants-term-extended/ 2025-11-14 IOL en Kumaratunga argued that the extra year should be appended to her second term, and even stated that she had held a secret swearing-in ceremony on 12 November 2000 to officially begin her second term in office.2005-09-22 Ending a controversy https://frontline.thehindu.com/world-affairs/article30206333.ece 2025-11-14 Frontline en Kumaratunga sought the opinion of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka regarding the correct date for the 2005 presidential election. The Supreme Court rejected her claims on 30 August 2005, and stated that the election should take place between 22 October and 22 November 2005, recognizing that her second term started on 22 December 1999. Court clears way for Sri Lanka poll https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2005/8/26/court-clears-way-for-sri-lanka-poll 2025-11-14 Al Jazeera en2005-08-30 Sri Lankan Supreme Court orders new presidential elections https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2005/08/sril-a30.html 2025-11-14 World Socialist Web Site en Nominations Nominations were accepted from 9.00am to 11.00am IST on 7 September 2005, and the election date of 17 November was announced by the Gazette Extraordinary No.1411/1 on 19 September 2005.Wayback Machine http://elections.gov.lk:80/web/wp-content/uploads/election-results/presidential-elections/PresidentialElections2005(summary).pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20180920171541/http://elections.gov.lk:80/web/wp-content/uploads/election-results/presidential-elections/PresidentialElections2005(summary).pdf 2018-09-20 2025-11-14 elections.gov.lk Sri Lanka Freedom Party A rift opened up within the SLFP over who to pick as its candidate: either Anura Bandaranaike, Kumaratunga's brother and preferred candidate, or then-incumbent prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items05/031005-8.html CBK, Anura keep away from Mahinda's campaign 12 June 2015 Many members of the SLFP were uneasy with Kumaratunga's liberal economic policies, including the privatisation of several public institutions.http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items05/071205-2.html CBK and the Prince's mansion Evening Standard editor stands by his report 16 June 2015 Despite internal disagreements, Rajapaksa was ultimately selected as the presidential candidate of the SLFP-led United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA). United National Party The UNP chose Ranil Wickremesinghe as its candidate, while Karu Jayasuriya was named as the party's prime ministerial candidate in the event of a UNP victory, serving as Wickremesinghe's unofficial running mate.UNP to hold 140 presidential election rallies. Tamil Net. Retrieved 4 September 2005. Campaign Both candidates tried to round up the support of minor parties. Rajapaksa needed to re-assemble the alliance with the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) that existed at the parliamentary level (the United People's Freedom Alliance). After he agreed to reject federalism and renegotiate the ceasefire with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, the JVP and the Jathika Hela Urumaya endorsed him. Wickremesinghe's only hope of victory was through the support of the island's ethnic minorities, given his generally more conciliatory approach to the civil war. He secured the endorsement of the main Muslim party, the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, and the Ceylon Workers' Congress representing the estate Tamils. He could not, however, obtain the backing of the main Sri Lankan Tamil party, the Tamil National Alliance. Any hopes for Wickremesinghe's victory were effectively dashed when the LTTE ordered Tamil voters, most of whom would likely have voted for him, to boycott the polls. Economic issues also worked to Rajapaksa's favor. Sri Lanka had enjoyed stable growth under Kumaratunga's free-market policies, but she had also pursued controversial privatizations which Rajapaksa promised to halt. Rajapaksa also promised a policy of economic nationalism. Proposed debate In the lead-up to the 2005 presidential election, Rajapaksa's campaign team received invitations from both state and private television networks to participate in a live debate with Wickremesinghe. Networks including Rupavahini, ITN, Swarnawahini, and MTV extended invitations to both candidates.JVP Guaranteed Rajapaksa’s Victory in 2005 Ranil-Mahinda: First Presidential Debate that Never Was https://www.dailymirror.lk/opinion/JVP-Guaranteed-Rajapaksas-Victory-in-2005-Ranil-Mahinda-First-Presidential-Debate-that-Never-Was/172-284113 2025-11-26 dailymirror.lk Wickremesinghe agreed to participate and chose Sirasa (managed by MTV) as the platform. Rajapaksa delayed, citing the need to either select a single channel or participate across all channels based on committee recommendations. Wickremesinghe suggested a single simultaneous broadcast across all networks. The debate was intended to focus on key issues such as the economy, the peace process with the LTTE, nationalism, and federalism, with Wickremesinghe positioning himself as a peacemaker and Rajapaksa emphasizing nationalist themes. Disagreements arose over the choice of moderator: the UNP preferred Ranjith Abeysuriya, while the UPFA proposed former presidential secretary K. H. J. Wijedasa. Rajapaksa also insisted that only the state-owned Rupavahini host the debate, whereas the UNP advocated including private networks. Due to unresolved disputes over the format, moderation, and network participation, coupled with concerns regarding Rajapaksa's debating experience and confidence, the debate ultimately never took place. Results Mahinda Rajapaksa won the election and became the 5th Executive President of Sri Lanka, defeating Ranil Wickremesinghe by a narrow margin. Rajapaksa was inaugurated on 19 November 2005 at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo. Mahinda Rajapaksa Sri Lanka Freedom Party 4887152 Ranil Wickremesinghe United National Party 4706366 Siritunga Jayasuriya United Socialist Party 35425 A. A. Suraweera National Development Front 31238 Victor Hettigoda United Lanka People's Party 14458 Chamil Jayaneththi New Left Front 9296 Aruna de Soyza Ruhunu People's Party 7685 Wimal Geeganage Sri Lanka National Front 6639 Anura de Silva United Lalith Front 6357 Ajith Arachchige Democratic Unity Alliance 5082 Wije Dias Socialist Equality Party 3500 Nelson Perera Sri Lanka Progressive Front 2525 Hewaheenipellage Dharmadwaja United National Alternative Front 1316 109739 13327160 Election Commission Popular vote (%) 600px 410px Rajapaksha Sri Lanka Freedom Party 50.29 Wickremesinghe United National Party 48.43 Geographical Share (%) 600px 410px Rajapaksha Sri Lanka Freedom Party 58.75 Wickremesinghe United National Party 41.25 By district Districts won by RajapaksaDistricts won by Wickremesinghe + Summary of the 2005 Sri Lankan presidential election by electoral districthttp://www.slelections.gov.lk/pdf/2005%20Presidantial-District.pdf Result of Presidential Election 2005 (District) Department of Elections, Sri Lanka 2010-09-03 https://web.archive.org/web/20090304101338/http://www.slelections.gov.lk/pdf/2005%20Presidantial-District.pdf 2009-03-04 deadDistrictProvinceRajapaksaWickremesingheOthersTurnout Votes % Votes % Votes % Colombo Western534,43147.96%569,62751.12%10,1920.92%76.75% Gampaha Western 596,698 54.78% 481,764 44.23% 10,815 0.99% 80.71% Kalutara Western 341,693 55.48% 266,043 43.20% 8,124 1.32% 81.43% Kandy Central 315,672 44.30% 387,150 54.33% 9,798 1.37% 79.65% Matale Central 120,533 48.09% 125,937 50.25% 4,150 1.66% 79.04% Nuwara Eliya Central 99,550 27.97% 250,428 70.37% 5,897 1.66% 80.78% Galle Southern 347,223 58.41% 239,320 40.26% 7,925 1.33% 81.94% Matara Southern 279,411 61.85% 165,827 36.71% 6,484 1.44% 80.96% Hambantota Southern 202,918 63.43% 112,712 35.23% 4,295 1.34% 81.41% Jaffna Northern 1,967 25.00% 5,523 70.20% 1,034 4.8% 1.21% Vanni Northern 17,197 20.36% 65,798 77.89% 2,879 1.75% 34.30% Batticaloa Eastern 28,836 18.87% 121,514 79.51% 4,265 1.62% 48.51% Ampara Eastern 122,329 42.88% 159,198 55.81% 6,681 1.31% 72.7% Trincomalee Eastern 55,680 37.04% 92,197 61.33% 4,551 1.63% 63.84% Kurunegala North Western 468,507 52.56% 418,809 46.72% 17,639 0.72% 80.51% Puttalam North Western 160,686 48.14% 169,264 50.71% 3,833 1.15% 71.68% Anuradhapura North Central 231,040 55.08% 182,956 42.62% 5,438 2.3% 78.98% Polonnaruwa North Central 110,499 52.61% 97,142 46.25% 2,389 1.14% 80.43% Badulla Uva 192,734 45.18% 226,582 53.11% 7,283 1.71% 81.29% Monaragala Uva 126,094 56.94% 92,244 41.65% 3,112 1.41% 81.16% Ratnapura Sabaragamuwa 294,260 53.01% 252,838 45.55% 7,976 1.44% 83.89% Kegalle Sabaragamuwa 239,184 51.02% 223,483 47.67% 6,106 1.31% 81.19%Total 4,887,152 50.29% 4,706,366 48.43% 123,521 1.28% 73.73% Maps References http://www.slelections.gov.lk/pdf/2005%20Presidantial-District.pdf Result of Presidential Election 2005 (District) Department of Elections, Sri Lanka dead https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20090304101338/http://www.slelections.gov.lk/pdf/2005%20Presidantial-District.pdf 2009-03-04 http://www.lankanewspapers.com/news/election_2005.jsp Sri Lanka Election Results 2005 - Live Update 12 July 2023 LankaNewspapers.com http://www.manthree.com/elections/results/?id=8 2005 - Presidential Election Manthree.com http://psephos.adam-carr.net/countries/s/srilanka/srilanka2005.txt DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF SRI LANKA PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS OF 17 NOVEMBER 2005 Psephos - Adam Carr's Election Archive Sri Lanka Presidential Sri Lanka Category:Mahinda Rajapaksa Category:Ranil Wickremesinghe