Poll Date: 2 April 2004
Previous Election: 5 December 2001
No of Seats: 225 (196 directly elected plus 29 nominated)
No of Voters: 12,899,032
No of Electoral Districts: 22
Parties in Fray: 24 recognised parties and 192 independent groups/individuals
No of Candidates: 6049 (highest since independence) at an average of 30 contestants per seat; 3712 from parties and 2337 independents
Alliance Matrix
|
Main Contenders
|
UPFA
|
UNF
|
TNA
|
JSS
|
|
Constituents
|
PA, MNA, JVP
|
UNP, SLMC, CWC
|
TULF, EPRLF (Suresh wing), TELO
|
Buddhist monks, but not official Sangha
|
|
Symbol
|
Butterfly
|
Elephant
|
House
|
Conch
|
|
Ideology of the main constituents
|
PA: Centre-left
JVP: Ultra-left and racist
|
UNP: Centre-right
|
Tamil nationalist
|
Ultra-right
|
|
Platform
|
Peace, National security, economic development, corruption-free government
|
To continue the process of peace, and economic development
|
Interim Self Governing Authority for Tamils and rehabilitation
|
Economic stability, anti-terrorism, anti-conversion
|
|
Support base
|
Southern and central parts
|
Eastern, western and central regions
|
Northeast of Sri Lanka
|
Southern and southwestern parts
|
|
Stand on
|
|
|
|
|
|
Economy
|
“Mixed economy”
|
“Further opening up”
|
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|
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|
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Ethnic issue
|
The MoU between PA and JVP fails to address the question; but while PA stands for devolution, JVP wants the LTTE to lay down arms as a precondition for talks
|
Federal arrangement
|
Comprehensive self-governance on the lines of Thimpu principles (Tamil nation, Tamil homeland, and self-determination)
|
Unity of the country is supreme; Sinhala Buddhists are destined to rule the country
|
|
Third-party mediation
|
The role of Norwegians should be minimized
|
Norwegians to continue
|
Norwegian mediation if fine
|
No to Norway
|
|
Religion
|
Right to religion should be ensured
|
Secular
|
Secular
|
Supremacy of Buddhism
|
|
Political system
|
Parliamentary form should be restored, but for the time being an Executive President is required
|
Parliamentary form is suitable as presidential system has eroded the democratic spirit of the Island
|
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UPFA – United People’s Freedom Alliance
PA – People’s Alliance
MNA – Muslim National Alliance
JVP – Janata Vimukthi Peramuna
UNF – United National Front
SLMC – Sri Lanka Muslim Congress
CWC – Ceylon Workers Congress
TNA – Tamil National Alliance
TULF – Tamil United Liberation Front
EPRLF – Eelam People’s Revolutionary Liberation Front
TELO – Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation
JSS – Jathika Sangha Sammelanya
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