COLOMBO, June 16, (Xinhua): Vraie Cally Balthazaar of the ruling National People's Power (NPP) was elected mayor of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC), which governs Sri Lanka's commercial capital, on Monday after a secret ballot among council members. Balthazaar received 61 votes, while her opponent, Riza Zarook of the main opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), received 54 votes. Two ballots were rejected.

The vote was overseen by Sarangika Jayasundara, commissioner of the Department of Local Government of the Western Province. Monday's meeting marked the first time the CMC had convened since the local government election held on May 6.

The NPP won the most seats in the CMC election but did not secure an outright majority. As a result, both the NPP and SJB nominated candidates for mayor. The NPP secured a victory in the 2025 local government elections in May, winning 43.26 percent of votes and claiming 3,927 council seats, according to final results released by the elections commission.