A Brief History of Eastern Provincial Council The Provincial Councils were set up in Sri Lanka for the first time in terms of 13th Amendment to the Constitution and the Provincial Council Act. No. 42 of 1987. Elections were held to all the eight Provincial Councils for the first time in 1988. The elected North East ProvincialCouncil (NEPC) was constituted on 5th December 1988. It had only a brief existence as it was dissolved in June 1990. As election to the North East Provincial Council was not held, thereafter it continued to be administered under the direction of the Hon. Governor of the North-East Province.