The 1st Eastern Provincial Council was a meeting of the Eastern Provincial Council, with the membership determined by the results of the 2008 provincial council election held on 10 May 2008. The council met for the first time on 4 June 2008 and was dissolved prematurely on 27 June 2012.

The 1st Eastern Provincial Council election was held on 10 May 2008. The United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA), which was in power nationally, formed an alliance the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) paramilitary group and won 20 of the 37 seats. The United National Party (UNP) formed an alliance the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress and won 15 seats. Smaller parties won the remaining 2 seats. The Tamil National Alliance (TNA), the largest party representing the Sri Lankan Tamils boycotted the election.

The new provincial council met for the first time on 4 June 2008. Ajju Mohamed Mohamed Faiz and M. K. D. S. Gunawardena were elected Chairman and Deputy Chairman respectively.

S. Chandrakanthan, leader of the paramilitary Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal, was appointed Chief Minister by Governor Mohan Wijewickrama. Chandrakanthan was sworn in on 16 May 2008 in Colombo in front of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The four government ministers appointed by the Governor with effect from 16 May 2008 were: M. L. Alim Mohammad Hisbullah (UPFA-ACMC); Thuraiyappa Navarathnaraja (UPFA-TMVP); Meera Sahibu Udumalebbe (UPFA-NC); and Dissanayaka Wimalaweera (UPFA-SLFP).

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