All Ceylon Makkal Congress

The All Ceylon Makkal Congress (Tamil: அகில இலங்கை மக்கள் காங்கிரஸ், romanized: Akila Ilaṅkai Makkaḷ Kāṅkiras; Sinhala: සමස්ත ලංකා මහජන කොංග්‍රසය Samasta Lanka Mahajana Kongrasaya) is a registered political party in Sri Lanka.[1] It was founded in 2005 by Rishad Bathiudeen. Since 2020, the All Ceylon Makkal Congress has been a constituent party of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB).

All Ceylon Makkal Congress
அகில இலங்கை மக்கள் காங்கிரஸ்
සමස්ත ලංකා මහජන කොංග්‍රසය
LeaderRishad Bathiudeen
ChairpersonAmeer Ali
Secretary-GeneralS. Subairdeen
FounderRishad Bathiudeen
Founded2005; 19 years ago (2005)
Split fromSri Lanka Muslim Congress
National affiliationSamagi Jana Balawegaya
Parliament of Sri Lanka
3 / 225
Election symbol
Peacock
Website
acmc.lk

History

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Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) member Rishad Bathiudeen was elected as a United National Front (UNF) MP, of which the SLMC was a member, at the 2001 parliamentary election.[2] He was re-elected in the 2004 parliamentary election.[3] However, the UNF was defeated by the newly formed United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) at the election.[4][5] After the election, differences arose amongst the SLMC MPs as to whether they should join the UPFA government.[6] SLMC MP Hussein Ahamed Bhaila defected to the UPFA on 18 May 2004.[7] The SLMC suspended three MPs; M. N. Abdul Majeed, Rishad Bathiudeen and Bhaila; over their opposition to the leadership of Rauff Hakeem.[6] The SLMC began disciplinary proceedings against the three MPs and party activist M. Inamullah.[8] The quartet were expelled from the SLMC on 30 May 2004.[9] The expelled MPs began legal proceedings to regain their SLMC membership, but on 30 July 2004 the Supreme Court announced that it had reserved judgement in the case.[10]

On 30 October 2004, Abdul Majeed and Bathiudeen, together with another dissident SLMC MP, Ameer Ali, were appointed non-cabinet ministers in the UPFA government.[11][12] Abdul Majeed, Ali and Bathiudeen were expelled from the SLMC on 23 March 2005 for accepting the ministerial positions.[13] Another legal battle ensued and on 1 July 2005 the Supreme Court ruled that the three MPs expulsion from the SLMC was invalid.[14][15][16] The dissident SLMC MPs founded a new political party, the All Ceylon Muslim Congress (ACMC), later in 2005.[17] In January 2007 Bathiudeen was promoted to the cabinet whilst Bhaila became a deputy minister; Abdul Majeed and Ali remained non-cabinet ministers.[18][19] Abdul Majeed rejoined the Sri Lanka Freedom Party in 2007.[20]

Contesting under the UPPA, the ACMC secured three seats in Parliament — Bathiudeen, Hunais Farook and M. L. Alim Mohammad Hisbullah — at the 2010 parliamentary election. After the election Bathiudeen remained in the cabinet whilst Hisbullah became a deputy minister.[21][22] The All Ceylon Muslim Congress was later renamed All Ceylon Makkal Congress (All Ceylon People's Congress).[23] Farook left the UPFA and joined the opposition United National Party on 26 November 2014 in order to support common opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena at the presidential election.[24][25] Ali was appointed as a UPFA National List MP in Parliament in December 2014.[26] The ACMC left the UPFA on 22 December 2014 to support Sirisena at the presidential election.[27][28] Hisbullah however remained in the UPFA to support President Mahinda Rajapaksa.[29][30] Rajapaksa dismissed Bathiudeen from the cabinet.[31] After the presidential election, newly elected President Sirisena rewarded the ACMC by appointing Bathiudeen to the cabinet and Ali as a deputy minister.[32][33][34][35]

In July 2015 the ACMC joined with other anti-Rajapaksa parties to form the United National Front for Good Governance (UNFGG) to contest the parliamentary election.[36][37] Contesting on its own in one electoral district, Ampara District, the ACMC received 33,102 votes (0.30%), but failed to win any seats in Parliament.[38][39] The ACMC did however secure five seats under the UNFGG - Ali, Bathiudeen, Abdul Rahuman Izak, M. A. M. Maharoof and M. H. M. Navavi. Bathiudeen and Ali remained cabinet and deputy ministers respectively after the election.[40][41][42][43][44][45]

References

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  1. ^ "All Ceylon Makkal Congress". Election Commission of Sri Lanka.[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ "General Election 2001 Preferences" (PDF). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2010.
  3. ^ "General Election 2004 Preferences" (PDF). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 24, 2015.
  4. ^ "Parliamentary General Election 2004 - All Island Result". Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 2012-12-19.
  5. ^ "Parliamentary General Election 2004 - Composition of Parliament". Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 2012-05-30.
  6. ^ a b "SLMC suspends three MPs over opposition to Hakeem". TamilNet. 19 May 2004. Archived from the original on 26 October 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  7. ^ "Parliament meets Tuesday, one SLMC MP crosses over to govt. bench". TamilNet. 18 May 2004. Archived from the original on 26 October 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  8. ^ "Dissident SLMC parliamentarians reject charges". TamilNet. 29 May 2004. Archived from the original on 26 October 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  9. ^ "SLMC high command sacks three parliamentarians". TamilNet. 30 May 2004. Archived from the original on 26 October 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  10. ^ Ramanayake, Wasantha (31 July 2004). "SC reserves judgement in SLMC expulsion cases". Daily News (Sri Lanka). Archived from the original on 9 April 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  11. ^ "Dissident SLMC MPs sworn in as ministers". TamilNet. 30 October 2004. Archived from the original on 25 October 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  12. ^ Bulathsinghala, Frances (31 October 2004). "Ministerial tally reaches record 80". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). Archived from the original on 24 June 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  13. ^ Chandrasekera, T. (25 March 2005). "SLMC expels dissident trio". The Island (Sri Lanka). Archived from the original on 7 April 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  14. ^ "Sacked SLMC parliamentarians file petition in SC". TamilNet. 29 June 2004. Archived from the original on 1 July 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  15. ^ "SC rules dissident MPs' expulsion from SLMC invalid". TamilNet. 1 July 2005. Archived from the original on 29 June 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  16. ^ Weerarathne, Chitra (4 July 2005). "SC declares expulsion of MPs invalid". The Island (Sri Lanka). Archived from the original on 7 April 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  17. ^ "In the matter of an application under and in terms of Article 99(13)(a) of the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka" (PDF). Supreme Court of Sri Lanka. p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-04-08. Retrieved 2016-03-28.
  18. ^ "PART I : SECTION (I) — GENERAL Appointments & c., by the President" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary. 1482/08. 29 January 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 February 2014.
  19. ^ "The New Cabinet". The Island (Sri Lanka). 29 January 2007. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  20. ^ Jeyaraj, D. B. S. (22 September 2012). "Najeeb Abdul Majeed Makes History as the First Muslim CM OF Sri Lanka". Daily Mirror. Archived from the original on 21 September 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  21. ^ "PART I : SECTION (I) — GENERAL Appointments & c., by the President" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary. 1651/3. 26 April 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 May 2010.
  22. ^ "New Cabinet Ministers & Deputy Ministers". Daily News (Sri Lanka). 24 April 2010. Archived from the original on 22 February 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  23. ^ "Sri Lankan government ally calls for devolution of police and land powers". Colombo Page. 8 August 2011. Archived from the original on 8 April 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  24. ^ "Hunais Farook joins the UNP". The Nation (Sri Lanka). 26 November 2014. Archived from the original on December 12, 2014.
  25. ^ "Video: UPFA MP Farook joins UNP". The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka). 26 November 2014. Archived from the original on 20 August 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  26. ^ "Ameer Ali now an MP". The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka). 12 December 2014. Archived from the original on 20 August 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  27. ^ Srinivasan, Meera (22 December 2014). "Rajapaksa's Muslim ally defects to opposition". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 4 March 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  28. ^ "Controversial SL minister Badurdeen backs Sirisena". TamilNet. 22 December 2014. Archived from the original on 30 October 2019. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  29. ^ Bandara, Kelum (23 December 2014). "Rishad's party splits; Hizbullah remains with MR". The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka). Archived from the original on 27 August 2019. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  30. ^ "ACMC splits following Bathiudeen's decision to support opposition". The Island (Sri Lanka). 25 December 2014. Archived from the original on 16 November 2018. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  31. ^ "PART I : SECTION (I) — GENERAL Government Notifications NOTIFICATION" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary. 1894/29. 27 December 2014.[permanent dead link]
  32. ^ "PART I : SECTION (I) — GENERAL Appointments & c., by the President" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary. 1897/16. 18 January 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-01-28. Retrieved 2016-03-28.
  33. ^ "New Cabinet ministers sworn in". The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka). 12 January 2015. Archived from the original on 22 November 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  34. ^ "New Cabinet takes oaths". The Nation (Sri Lanka). 12 January 2015. Archived from the original on 18 January 2015.
  35. ^ Imtiaz, Zahrah; Moramudali, Umesh (13 January 2015). "27-member cabinet 10 State ministers 08 Deputy ministers". Ceylon Today. Archived from the original on 18 January 2015.
  36. ^ Bastians, Dharisha (13 July 2015). "Rainbow reunites against Rajapaksa". Daily FT. Archived from the original on 8 September 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  37. ^ "Key issues for the people at August 17 poll". The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka). 14 July 2015. Archived from the original on 8 September 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  38. ^ "Parliamentary Election - 17-08-2015 - Official Election Results ALL ISLAND RESULTS". Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 2015-08-26.
  39. ^ "Parliamentary Election - 17-08-2015 - Official Election Results Composition of the Parliament". Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 2015-09-27.
  40. ^ "PART I : SECTION (I) — GENERAL Appointments & c., by the President" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary. 1932/07. 14 September 2015.[permanent dead link]
  41. ^ "New Cabinet". The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka). 4 September 2015. Archived from the original on 23 November 2019. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  42. ^ "The new Cabinet". Ceylon Today. 4 September 2015. Archived from the original on 7 September 2015.
  43. ^ "PART I : SECTION (I) — GENERAL Appointments & c., by the President" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary. 1932/69. 18 September 2015.[permanent dead link]
  44. ^ "New State and Deputy Ministers". The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka). 9 September 2015. Archived from the original on 22 November 2019. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  45. ^ "State and Deputy Ministers take oaths (Updated Full List)". The Nation (Sri Lanka). 9 September 2015. Archived from the original on 2015-09-10. Retrieved 2016-03-28.
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