ation ▁Tig ers ▁of ▁T amil ▁E el am ▁in ▁May ▁ 2 0 0 9 . ▁The ▁UP FA ▁won ▁a ▁large ▁majority ▁in ▁the ▁house , ▁obtain ing ▁ 1 4 4 ▁seats , ▁an ▁increase ▁of ▁ 3 9 ▁since ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁election . ▁The ▁main ▁opposition ▁UN F ▁is ▁won ▁ 6 0 ▁seats , ▁a ▁decl ine ▁of ▁ 2 2 . ▁The ▁minor ity ▁T amil ▁party ▁T amil ▁National ▁Alliance ▁( T NA ) ▁won ▁ 1 4 ▁seats , ▁down ▁from ▁the ▁ 2 2 ▁they ▁won ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁and ▁the ▁DNA , ▁contest ing ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time , ▁won ▁ 7 ▁seats . ▁The ▁UP FA ▁however ▁fell ▁short ▁of ▁its ▁goal ▁of ▁obtain ing ▁a ▁two - third s ▁super major ity ▁in ▁the ▁house , ▁which ▁it ▁would ▁have ▁needed ▁to ▁change ▁the ▁constitution ▁on ▁its ▁own . ▁The ▁election ▁saw ▁the ▁lowest ▁vot er ▁turn out ▁since ▁independence . ▁ ▁While ▁the ▁election ▁was ▁initially ▁scheduled ▁to ▁be ▁concluded ▁on ▁April ▁ 8 , ▁irregular ities ▁in ▁two ▁districts ▁led ▁the ▁Commission er ▁of ▁E lections ▁to ▁hold ▁re - p oll s ▁on ▁April ▁ 2 0 . ▁Final ▁results ▁were ▁announced ▁on ▁the ▁ 2 1 st , ▁a ▁day ▁before ▁the ▁new ▁parliament ▁is ▁scheduled ▁to ▁meet ▁for ▁the ▁very ▁first ▁time . ▁ ▁Background ▁General ▁elections ▁are ▁usually ▁held ▁every ▁six ▁years ▁in ▁Sri ▁L anka ,