1998 Sri Lankan local elections

1998 Sri Lankan local elections

← 1997 29 January 1998 2002 →
233 seats across 17 local authorities
Turnout	18.63%
First party Second party Third party   EPRLF Leader Douglas Devananda Dharmalingam Siddarthan Varatharajah Perumal Party EPDP DPLF EPRLF Popular vote 38,726 25,576 13,140 Percentage 42.28% 27.92% 14.35% Councillors 105 62 25 Local Authorities 9 3 0   Fourth party Fifth party   TULF Leader M. Sivasithamparam Selvam Adaikalanathan Party TULF TELO Popular vote 6,361 6,874 Percentage 6.94% 7.50% Councillors 20 18 Local Authorities 1 1

Local elections were held in Sri Lanka on 29 January 1998 for 17 local authorities on the Jaffna peninsula, in the north of the country. They were the first local elections held in the peninsula since 1983. Turnout was low due to the threats issued by the rebel Tamil Tigers. The Eelam People's Democratic Party gained control of nine local authorities, Democratic People's Liberation Front (PLOTE) three, Tamil United Liberation Front one and Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization one. There was no overall control in the three remaining local authorities.