History
Constitution of Galle Municipal Council
Galle Municipal Council was constituted on 01st January 1867 by an order of William Vaas Gibson, a colonial secretary, which published in the gazette on 24th November 1866 under the rule of British Governor Sir Hercules George Robert Robinson.
History in brief
At the beginning Galle Municipality consisted of 5 divisions: Fort, Galle Piyadda, Hirimbura, Kaluwella, Kumbalwella
The number of divisions increased up to 7 in 1932 and it increased up to 10 in 1939. In 1944, it increased up to 15.
From 1867 to 1939, the chairman of the Municipal Council was the executive officer.
| Chairman’s name | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Mr. J.W.W.Birch | 1867 |
| 2. | Mr. W. Morris | 1867 |
| 3. | Mr. F.S. Templer | 1871 |
| 4. | Mr. E. Eliot | 1886, 1889, 1892-1893,1895-1896 |
| 5. | Mr. W.W. Hammer | 1883 |
| 6. | Mr. A. Bailey | 1883 |
| 7. | Mr. W.E.T.Sharp | 1885, 1887 |
| 8. | Mr.P.A. Templer | 1889-1891 |
| 9. | Mr. R.W. Fewers | 1893-1894 |
| 10. | Mr. H.White | 1896 |
| 11. | Mr. E.R. Elios | 1897 |
| 12. | Mr.W.Hall | 1898-1899 |
| 13. | Mr.George M. Fowler | 1900-1902 |
| 14. | Mr.H.W.Brodhurst | 1902-1904 |
| 15. | Mr.H.L.Crowford | 1904-1905 |
| 16. | Mr.C.M. Lusiton | 1905-1910 |
| 17. | Mr.R.B.Hellings | 1913-1921 |
| 18. | Mr. C.S. Warham | 1921 |
| 19. | Mr. F. Bartlette | 1921-1924 |
| 20. | Mr. T.B. Russel | 1924-1926 |
| 21. | Mr. L.W.C.Shurder | 1926-1929 |
| 22. | Mr. M.M.Wedorburn | 1929-1930 |
| 23. | Mr.G.S.Wodman | 1931 |
| 24. | Mr.J.D.Brown | 1931-1934 |
| 25. | Mr.W.J.L. Rogerson | 1934-1935, 1937-1939 |
| 26. | Mr.C.Harrison Jones | 1935-1937 |
The First Meeting at Galle Municipal Council
The first meeting of Galle Municipal Council chaired by Mr.J.W.W Birch was held on 4th May 1867. Dr.P.D. Anthenese, Mr. F.W. De Voss , Mr.A.R. Karunarathne, Mr. I.W.Ludovici, Mr. Ahamad Bava and Mr. Koranelis Amarasekara Gunawardhana were the other members.
Mayor - council system
The system of appointing a chairman was abolished and the mayor-council system was established from 1939, according to the Municipal Council Ordinance.
Hon. Mayors
| Hon. Mayor’s Name | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Mr. W. Dahanayake | 1939 - 1941 |
| 2. | Mr. A.I. H.A.Wahab | 1942 - 1943 |
| 3. | Mr.D.S.Gunasekara | 1944 |
| 4. | Mr.W.T.Wijekulasooriya | 1945,1947,1948,1949,1952 - 1953 |
| 5. | Mr. E.D.Nagahawatta | 1946 |
| 6. | Mr.A.R.M.Thassim | 1950,1951,1954-1956,1957-1959,1960-1962 |
| 7. | Mr.W.D.S.Abeygoonawardhane | 1966-1969 |
| 8. | Mr.W.T.Wijekulasooriya | 1970-1971 |
| 9. | Mr .B.P.Wijenarayana | 1972-1974 |
| 10. | Mr .S.C.C.R.Koolathilake | 1974 |
| 11. | Mr. A.G.Goonarathne | 1979-1983 |
| 12. | Mr.A.H.M.Anwar | 1983-1988 |
| 13. | Mr.T. Darlin de Silva | 1988-1991 |
| 14. | Mr. Wijaya Dahanayake | 1991-1997 |
| 15. | Mr.P.H.Lionel Premasiri | 1997-2001,2002-2004 |
| 16. | Mr.Mansoor Marikkar | 2001-2002 |
| 17. | Mr.M.I.M.Arif | 2004-2006 |
| 18. | Mr.W.Kelum Senewirathne | 2006-2008 |
| 19. | Mr.Methsiri de Silva | From 2008 To 2013.01.22 |
| 20. | Mr.W.Kelum Senewirathne | From 2013.01.23 To 2014.06.26 (Acting) |
| 21. | Mr.Methsiri de Silva | From 2014.06.26 To 2015.05.08 |
| 22. | Mr.W.Kelum Senewirathne | From 2015.05.08 To 2016.06.30 (Acting) |
Hon. Deputy Mayors
| Hon. Deputy Mayor’s Name | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Mr.A.I.H.A. Wahab | 1939 - 1941 |
| 2. | Mr. E de S. Wijerathne | 1941 |
| 3. | Mr.W.T.Wijekulasooriya | 1944-1945 |
| 4. | Mr.A.H.E.Fernando | 1946 |
| 5. | Mr. G.Keerthisinghe | 1946 |
| 6. | Mr.A.D.H.Weerathunga | 1947,1949,1951-1953 |
| 7. | Mr.D.Y.Weerasiri | 1948,1954 |
| 8. | Mr.H.K.Edmond | 1950,1954-1956,1960-1961 |
| 9. | Mr .D.A.S.P.Dahanayake | 1957-1959,1961 |
| 10. | Mr .D.P.Wijenarayana | 1961-1962,1966-1971 |
| 11. | Mr. Mansoor Marikkar | <1972/td> |
| 12. | Mr.W.T.Obeysekara | 1973-1974 |
| 13. | Mr.B.S.Abeysekara | 1974 |
| 14. | Mr. M.Izzath Ali | 1979-1983 |
| 15. | Mr.T.Darlin de Silva | 1983-1988 |
| 16. | Mrs.N.T.Wijenarayane | 1988-1991 |
| 17. | Mr. M.I.M. Arif | 1991-1997 |
| 18. | Mr.Mansoor Marikkar | 1997-2001 |
| 19. | Mr.W.Kelum Senewirathne | 2001-2002 |
| 20. | Mr. Fowzul Niyaz | 2002-2011 |
| 20. | Mr. W.Kelum Senewirathne | From 2011.10.15 To 2013.01.19 |
| 22. | Mr. W.Kelum Senewirathne | From 2014.06.26 To 2015.05.08 |
A special commissioner for the municipal council had the executive powers from1963 to 1965 for the first time. He was Mr. L.G.Siriwardhana. Mr. R.D.Abeysinghe and Mr. A.W.Edirisinghe were the other special commissioners who had the executive powers from 1975 and 1979 respectively.
