imported>Kanags: /* Electoral history */

2025-01-30T03:06:49Z

Electoral history

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{{Short description|Sri Lankan lawyer, politician and Member of Parliament}}
{{EngvarB|date=June 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix = [[The Honourable|Hon.]]
| name = Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam
| native_name = {{lang|ta|கஜேந்திரகுமார் பொன்னம்பலம்}} <br /> ජේන්ද්‍රකුමාර් කැන්ගසර් පොන්නම්බලම්
| honorific-suffix = [[Member of Parliament (Sri Lanka)|MP]]
| image = Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Ponnambalam in September 2014

| office1 = Member of the [[Parliament of Sri Lanka]]
| constituency1 = [[Jaffna Electoral District|Jaffna District]]
| term_start1 = 2020
| term_end1 =
| predecessor1 =
| successor1 =

| constituency2 = [[Jaffna Electoral District|Jaffna District]]
| term_start2 = 2001
| term_end2 = 2010
| predecessor2 =
| successor2 =

| birth_name = Gajendrakumar Gangaser Ponnambalam
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1974|01|16|df=y}}
| birth_place =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| citizenship =
| nationality =
| party = [[All Ceylon Tamil Congress]]
| otherparty = [[Tamil National People's Front]]
| spouse =
| partner =
| relations =
| children =
| residence =
| alma_mater = [[SOAS, University of London]]
| occupation =
| profession = Lawyer
| signature =
| website =
| footnotes =
}}
'''Gajendrakumar Gangaser Ponnambalam''' ({{langx|ta|கஜேந்திரகுமார் காங்கேசர் பொன்னம்பலம்|translit=Kajēntirakumār Kāṅkēcar Poṉṉampalam}}; born 16 January 1974) is a [[Demographics of Sri Lanka|Sri Lankan]] lawyer, politician and [[Member of Parliament (Sri Lanka)|Member of Parliament]].<ref name="PoS">{{cite web |title=Directory of Members: G. G. Ponnambalam |url=https://www.parliament.lk/en/members-of-parliament/directory-of-members/viewMember/291 |publisher=[[Parliament of Sri Lanka]] |access-date=16 September 2020 |location=Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, Sri Lanka}}</ref> He is the leader of the [[All Ceylon Tamil Congress]], a member of the [[Tamil National People's Front]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Kumar Ponnambalam memorial held in Vavuniya |url=http://www.tamilguardian.com/article.asp?articleid=9686 |access-date=16 September 2020 |work=[[Tamil Guardian]] |date=9 January 2014}}</ref>

==Early life and family==
Ponnambalam was born on 16 January 1974.<ref name="PoS"/> He is the son of [[Kumar Ponnambalam]] and grandson of [[G. G. Ponnambalam]], both leaders of the [[All Ceylon Tamil Congress]] (ACTC).<ref name="DM040815">{{cite news |last1=Jeyaraj |first1=D. B. S. |author-link1= |title=Tiger Diaspora backs Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam |url=http://www.dailymirror.lk/82053/tiger-diaspora-backs-gajendrakumar-ponnambalam |access-date=16 September 2020 |work=[[The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)|The Daily Mirror]] |date=4 August 2015 |location=Colombo, Sri Lanka}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Gajendrakumar threatened |url=https://ceylontoday.lk/51-31347-news-detail-gajendrakumar-threatened.html |work=[[Ceylon Today]] |date=3 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923221936/https://ceylontoday.lk/51-31347-news-detail-gajendrakumar-threatened.html |archive-date=23 September 2015 |location=Colombo, Sri Lanka}}</ref> He was educated at [[Royal College, Colombo]] and the [[Colombo International School]].<ref name="DM040815"/><ref name="SL301201">{{cite news |last1=Gnanadass |first1=Wilson |title=We suspected the PA government – Gajen |url=http://www.thesundayleader.lk/archive/20011230/interviews.htm |access-date=16 September 2020 |work=[[The Sunday Leader]] |date=30 December 2001 |location=Colombo, Sri Lanka}}</ref> After school he joined [[SOAS, University of London]], graduating with a [[Bachelor of Laws|LL.B.]] degree in 1995.<ref name="DM040815"/><ref name="SL301201"/>

==Career==
Ponnambalam qualified as a barrister-at-law from [[Lincoln's Inn]] and was [[called to the bar]] of England and Wales in 1997.<ref name="DM040815"/> Returning to Sri Lanka, he qualified as an attorney-at-law and was called to the bar of Sri Lanka in 1999.<ref name="DM040815"/>

Ponnambalam entered politics following the assassination of his father on 5 January 2000.<ref name="DM040815"/> On 20 October 2001 the ACTC, [[Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front]], [[Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization]] and [[Tamil United Liberation Front]] formed the [[Tamil National Alliance]] (TNA).<ref name="DM040410">{{cite news |last1=Jeyaraj |first1=D. B. S. |author-link1= |title=Tamil National Alliance enters critical third phase – 1 |url=http://www.dailymirror.lk/print/index.php/opinion1/6933.html |work=[[The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)|The Daily Mirror]] |date=27 March 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100404042520/http://www.dailymirror.lk/print/index.php/opinion1/6933.html |archive-date=4 April 2010 |location=Colombo, Sri Lanka}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Tamil parties sign MOU |url=http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=6400 |access-date=16 September 2020 |work=[[TamilNet]] |date=20 October 2001}}</ref> Ponnambalam contested the [[2001 Sri Lankan parliamentary election|2001 parliamentary election]] as one of the TNA's candidates in [[Jaffna Electoral District|Jaffna District]] and was elected to the [[Parliament of Sri Lanka|Parliament]].<ref name="DoE1">{{cite web |title=Parliamentary General Election - 2001 - Preferences |url=http://www.slelections.gov.lk/pdf/preference2001GE.pdf |publisher=[[Department of Elections (Sri Lanka)|Department of Elections]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100304015155/http://www.slelections.gov.lk/pdf/preference2001GE.pdf |archive-date=4 March 2010 |location=Rajagiriya, Sri Lanka |page=5}}</ref> He was re-elected at the [[2004 Sri Lankan parliamentary election|2004 parliamentary election]].<ref name="DoE2">{{cite web |title=Parliamentary General Election - 2004 - Preferences |url=http://www.slelections.gov.lk/pdf/Preference2004GE.pdf |publisher=[[Department of Elections (Sri Lanka)|Department of Elections]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100304015514/http://www.slelections.gov.lk/pdf/Preference2004GE.pdf |archive-date=4 March 2010 |location=Rajagiriya, Sri Lanka |page=189}}</ref> In March 2010 Ponnambalam, along with fellow TNA MPs [[S. Kajendran]] and [[Pathmini Sithamparanathan]], left the TNA and formed the [[Tamil National People's Front]] (TNPF).<ref>{{cite news |last1=Jeyaraj |first1=D. B. S. |author-link1= |title=T.N.A. Performs creditably in parliamentary elections |url=http://www.dailymirror.lk/print/index.php/opinion1/8325-tna-performs-creditably-in-parliamentary-elections.html |work=[[The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)|The Daily Mirror]] |date=17 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100428064301/http://www.dailymirror.lk/print/index.php/opinion1/8325-tna-performs-creditably-in-parliamentary-elections.html |archive-date=28 April 2010 |location=Colombo, Sri Lanka}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Tamil National Peoples Front launched in Jaffna |url=http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=31285 |access-date=16 September 2020 |work=[[TamilNet]] |date=1 March 2010}}</ref>

Ponnambalam contested the [[2010 Sri Lankan parliamentary election|2010 parliamentary election]] as a TNPF candidate in Jaffna District but the TNPF failed to win any seats in Parliament.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Part I : Section (I) — General - Government Notifications - The Parliamentary Elections Act, No. 1 of 1981 - Notice Under Section 24(1) - General Elections of Members of the Parliament |magazine=[[The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka]] Extraordinary |date=2 March 2010 |issue=1643/07 |page=205A |url=http://www.documents.gov.lk/Extgzt/2010/PDF/Mar/1643_7/1643_7(E).pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141101220555/http://www.documents.gov.lk/Extgzt/2010/PDF/Mar/1643_7/1643_7%28E%29.pdf|archive-date=1 November 2014 |location=Colombo, Sri Lanka}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Results of Parliamentary General Election – 2010 |url=https://elections.gov.lk/web/wp-content/uploads/election-results/parliamentary-elections/general-election-2010.pdf |publisher=[[Election Commission of Sri Lanka]] |access-date=16 September 2020 |location=Rajagiriya, Sri Lanka |page=200}}</ref> In February 2011 Ponnambalam became one of the vice-presidents of the TNPF.<ref>{{cite news |title=TNPF announces Central Committee, prepares party constitution |url=http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=33589 |access-date=16 September 2020 |work=[[TamilNet]] |date=24 February 2011}}</ref> He contested the [[2015 Sri Lankan parliamentary election|2015 parliamentary election]] as a TNPF candidates in Jaffna District but, again, the TNPF failed to win any seats in Parliament.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Part I : Section (I) — General - Government Notifications - The Parliamentary Elections Act, No. 1 of 1981 - Notice Under Section 24(1) - General Elections of Members of the Parliament |magazine=[[The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka]] Extraordinary |date=13 July 2015 |issue=1923/3 |page=236A |url=http://www.documents.gov.lk/files/egz/2015/7/1923-03_E.pdf |access-date=11 August 2015 |location=Colombo, Sri Lanka}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Parliamentary Election - 2015 - Compositioin of the Parliamant |url=http://www.slelections.gov.lk/2015GE/AICOMP.html |publisher=[[Department of Elections (Sri Lanka)|Department of Elections]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150927080234/http://www.slelections.gov.lk/2015GE/AICOMP.html |archive-date=27 September 2015 |location=Rajagiriya, Sri Lanka |page=5}}</ref>

Ponnambalam contested the [[2020 Sri Lankan parliamentary election|2020 parliamentary election]] as a TNPF candidate in Jaffna District and was re-elected to the Parliament of Sri Lanka.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Part I : Section (I) — General - Government Notifications - Parliamentary Elections Act, No. 1 of 1981 |magazine=[[The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka]] Extraordinary |date=8 August 2020 |issue=2187/26 |page=5A |url=http://www.documents.gov.lk/files/egz/2020/8/2187-26_E.pdf |access-date=9 August 2020 |location=Colombo, Sri Lanka}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=General Election 2020: Preferential votes of Jaffna District |url=https://ceylontoday.lk/news/general-election-2020-preferential-votes-of-jaffna-district |access-date=16 September 2020 |work=[[Ceylon Today]] |date=7 August 2020 |location=Colombo, Sri Lanka |archive-date=27 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027094033/https://ceylontoday.lk/news/general-election-2020-preferential-votes-of-jaffna-district |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Jeyaraj |first1=D. B. S. |author-link1= |title=TNA suffers electoral setback in North and East polls |url=http://www.dailymirror.lk/opinion/TNA-suffers-electoral-setback-in-North-and-East-polls/172-193440 |access-date=16 September 2020 |work=[[The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)|The Daily Mirror]] |date=8 August 2020 |location=Colombo, Sri Lanka}}</ref>

Ponnambalam has extensive [[Stock|shareholdings]] in several companies [[Listing (finance)|listed]] on the [[Colombo Stock Exchange]] - either directly or through [[family owned]] companies Gee Gees Properties (Pvt) Ltd and Gitanjali Gajaluckshmi (Pvt) Ltd - including Serendib Land PLC (property developer), LOLC Holdings PLC/Lanka ORIX Leasing Company ([[leasing]], [[Factoring (finance)|factoring]] and [[microfinance]]) and Bukit Darah PLC ([[palm oil]]).<ref>{{cite web |title=Quarterly Financial Statements for the Three Months Period Ended June 30, 2020 |url=https://cdn.cse.lk/cmt/upload_report_file/630_1597204420793.pdf |website=[[Colombo Stock Exchange]] |publisher=Serendib Land PLC |access-date=16 September 2020 |location=Colombo, Sri Lanka |page=8}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Interim Condensed Financial Statements for the Three Months Ended 30 June 2020 |url=https://cdn.cse.lk/cmt/upload_report_file/378_1598410487286.pdf |website=[[Colombo Stock Exchange]] |publisher=LOLC Holdings PLC |access-date=16 September 2020 |location=Rajagiriya, Sri Lanka |page=17}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Interim Condensed Interim Financial Statements for the Period Ended 30th June 2020 |url=https://cdn.cse.lk/cmt/upload_report_file/456_1597405063236.pdf |website=[[Colombo Stock Exchange]] |publisher=Bukit Darah PLC |access-date=16 September 2020 |location=Colombo, Sri Lanka |page=20}}</ref>

==Electoral history==
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:left;"
|+ Electoral history of Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam
! scope=col|Election
! scope=col|Constituency
! scope=col colspan="2"|Party
! scope=col colspan="2"|Alliance
! scope=col|Votes
! scope=col|Result
|-
| [[2001 Sri Lankan parliamentary election|2001 parliamentary]]<ref name="DoE1"/> || [[Jaffna Electoral District|Jaffna District]] || style="background:{{party color|All Ceylon Tamil Congress}};"| || [[All Ceylon Tamil Congress]] || style="background:{{party color|Tamil National Alliance}};"| || [[Tamil National Alliance]] || align=right|{{Nts|29641}} || '''Elected'''
|-
| [[2004 Sri Lankan parliamentary election|2004 parliamentary]]<ref name="DoE2"/> || [[Jaffna Electoral District|Jaffna District]] || style="background:{{party color|All Ceylon Tamil Congress}};"| || [[All Ceylon Tamil Congress]] || style="background:{{party color|Tamil National Alliance}};"| || [[Tamil National Alliance]] || align=right|{{Nts|60770}} || '''Elected'''
|-
| [[2010 Sri Lankan parliamentary election|2010 parliamentary]] || [[Jaffna Electoral District|Jaffna District]] || style="background:{{party color|All Ceylon Tamil Congress}};"| || [[All Ceylon Tamil Congress]] || style="background:{{party color|Tamil National People's Front}};"| || [[Tamil National People's Front]] || || Not elected
|-
| [[2015 Sri Lankan parliamentary election|2015 parliamentary]] || [[Jaffna Electoral District|Jaffna District]] || style="background:{{party color|All Ceylon Tamil Congress}};"| || [[All Ceylon Tamil Congress]] || style="background:{{party color|Tamil National People's Front}};"| || [[Tamil National People's Front]] || || Not elected
|-
| [[2020 Sri Lankan parliamentary election|2020 parliamentary]]<ref>{{cite news |title=General Election Preferential Votes |url=http://www.dailynews.lk/2020/08/08/political/225317/general-election-preferential-votes |access-date=20 September 2020 |work=[[Daily News (Sri Lanka)|Daily News]] |date=8 August 2020 |location=Colombo Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka |page=2}}</ref> || [[Jaffna Electoral District|Jaffna District]] || style="background:{{party color|All Ceylon Tamil Congress}};"| || [[All Ceylon Tamil Congress]] || style="background:{{party color|Tamil National People's Front}};"| || [[Tamil National People's Front]] || align=right|{{Nts|31658}} || '''Elected'''
|-
| [[2024 Sri Lankan parliamentary election|2024 parliamentary]]<ref>{{cite news |title=List of candidates and preferential votes in Sri Lanka 2024 election |url=https://economynext.com/list-of-candidates-and-preferential-votes-in-sri-lanka-2024-election-188007/ |access-date=17 November 2024 |work=EconomyNext |date=15 November 2024 |archive-date= 21 November 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241121054933/https://economynext.com/list-of-candidates-and-preferential-votes-in-sri-lanka-2024-election-188007/ |url-status=live }}</ref> || [[Jaffna Electoral District|Jaffna District]] || style="background:{{party color|All Ceylon Tamil Congress}};"| || [[All Ceylon Tamil Congress]] || style="background:{{party color|Tamil National People's Front}};"| || [[Tamil National People's Front]] || align=right|{{Nts|15135}} || '''Elected'''
|}

==See also==
* [[List of political families in Sri Lanka]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Members of the 12th Parliament of Sri Lanka}}
{{Members of the 13th Parliament of Sri Lanka}}
{{Members of the 16th Parliament of Sri Lanka}}
{{Members of the 17th Parliament of Sri Lanka}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ponnambalam, Gajendrakumar}}
[[Category:1974 births]]
[[Category:All Ceylon Tamil Congress politicians]]
[[Category:Alumni of Colombo International School]]
[[Category:Alumni of Royal College, Colombo]]
[[Category:Alumni of SOAS University of London]]
[[Category:Members of Lincoln's Inn]]
[[Category:Members of the 12th Parliament of Sri Lanka]]
[[Category:Members of the 13th Parliament of Sri Lanka]]
[[Category:Members of the 16th Parliament of Sri Lanka]]
[[Category:Members of the 17th Parliament of Sri Lanka]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Ponnambalam family|Gajendrakumar]]
[[Category:Sri Lankan Hindus]]
[[Category:Sri Lankan Tamil people]]
[[Category:Sri Lankan lawyers]]
[[Category:Tamil politicians]]
[[Category:Tamil National Alliance politicians]]

Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam - Revision history

imported>Kanags: /* Electoral history */