Sri Lankan parliamentary election, 2004

The parliamentary elections in Sri Lanka in 2004 took place on 2 April 2004. The elections were brought forward by three years new elections after President Chandrika Kumaratunga (Sri Lanka Freedom Party, SLFP ) had dissolved Parliament on 7 February. Because of the Tamil conflict have tens of thousands of citizens, especially Tamils ​​, their voices do not leave, because the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, despite the ceasefire officially in force hindered the election and many displaced people could not get to their polling stations. In advance of the elections occurred increased attacks and violent clashes between government forces and rebels.

64,000 policemen guarded the polling stations on election day, some 25,000 local and international election observers were also present. Apart from occasional allegations of electoral fraud in the northern province of election process itself has been described as a largely regular. The turnout was around 75 %.

The United People 's Freedom Alliance, the coalition of President Kamaratunga, won more than 4 million votes and 105 seats ( 12), while the previously ruling United National Front of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe won 3.5 million votes and 82 seats.

After the election of President instructed Kamaratunga the former opposition leader Mahinda Rajapaksa (SLFP ), as Prime Minister of governance. The new Parliament first met on 22 April 2004, as President of the Parliament WJM Lokubandara was elected.

After the dissolution of Parliament by Mahinda Rajapaksa, President of Sri Lanka since 2005, in February 2010, the next parliamentary elections were held on April 8 and 20, 2010.