Balangoda Electoral District Explained

Balangoda electoral district was an electoral district of Sri Lanka between August 1947 and February 1989. The district was named after the town of Balangoda in Ratnapura District, Sabaragamuwa Province. The 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka introduced the proportional representation electoral system for electing members of Parliament. The existing 160 mainly single-member electoral districts were replaced with 22 multi-member electoral districts.[1] Balangoda electoral district was replaced by the Ratnapura multi-member electoral district at the 1989 general elections, the first under the proportional representation system. The Balangoda electoral district was one of five multi-member constituencies, with two members, the others were Ambalangoda-Balapitiya, Badulla, Colombo Central and Kadugannawa.[2]

Members of Parliament

Key

ElectionMember 1PartyTermMember 2PartyTerm
1947Alexander Francis MolamureUNP1947 - 1951E. W. MathewUNP1947 - 1952
1951 by-electionJayaweera Kuruppu1951 - 1952
1952Alexander Francis Molamure Jr1952 - 19561952 - 1956
1956V. T. G. KarunaratneSLFP1956 - 1960M. P. JothipalaLSSP1956 - 1960
1960 (March)Clifford Ratwatte1960 - 1966M. L. M. AboosallyUNP1960 - 1970
1960 (July)
1965
1966 by-electionMallika Ratwatte1966 - 1977
1970M. Sita Seneviratne1970 - 1977
1977M. L. M. AboosallyUNP1977 - 1989Mallika RatwatteSLFP1977 - 1989

Elections

1947 Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 1st parliamentary election held between 23 August 1947 and 20 September 1947:[3]

align=left width="180"Candidate!align=left width="180"Party!align=left width="120"Symbol!align=left width="60"Votes!align=left width="60"%
House 23,076 37.36
Elephant 13,767 22.29
W. A. P. Jayatilake Hand 9,833 15.92
M. Rajendram Pair of Scales 7,329 11.86
W. S. Thurai Raja Chair 3,870 6.27
align=left colspan=3Valid Votes57,87593.69
align=left colspan=3Rejected Votes3,899 6.31
align=left colspan=3Total Polled61,774 100.00
align=left colspan=3Registered Electors63,438
align=left colspan=4Turnout097.38

1951 Parliamentary By Election

Results of the parliamentary by-election held 28 April 1951:[4]

align=left width="180"Candidate!align=left width="180"Party!align=left width="120"Symbol!align=left width="60"Votes!align=left width="60"%
House 22,162 59.67
Lamp 13,440 36.19
S. Sri Kandam Hand 936 2.52
align=left colspan=3Valid Votes36,54198.39
align=left colspan=3Rejected Votes598 1.61
align=left colspan=3Total Polled37,139 100.00
align=left colspan=3Registered Electors63,438
align=left colspan=4Turnout58.54

1952 Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 2nd parliamentary election held between 24 May 1952 and 30 May 1952:[5]

align=left width="180"Candidate!align=left width="180"Party!align=left width="120"Symbol!align=left width="60"Votes!align=left width="60"%
Lamp 32,233 42.09
House 20,710 27.05
Elephant 16,640 21.73
C. V. Ranawaka Hand 3,337 4.36
align=left colspan=3Valid Votes72,92095.23
align=left colspan=3Rejected Votes3,653 4.77
align=left colspan=3Total Polled76,573 100.00
align=left colspan=3Registered Electors56,096
align=left colspan=4Turnout1.37

1956 Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 3rd parliamentary election held between 5 April 1956 and 10 April 1956:[6]

align=left width="180"Candidate!align=left width="180"Party!align=left width="120"Symbol!align=left width="60"Votes!align=left width="60"%
Hand 36,591 28.22
Key 20,032 15.45
Aeroplane 15,759 12.16
Elephant 13,873 10.70
S. Sirikandan Lamp 532 0.41
align=left colspan=3Valid Votes126,96197.92
align=left colspan=3Rejected Votes2,691 2.08
align=left colspan=3Total Polled129,652 100.00
align=left colspan=3Registered Electors100,326
align=left colspan=4Turnout1.29

1960 (March) Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 4th parliamentary election held on 19 March 1960:[7]

align=left width="180"Candidate!align=left width="180"Party!align=left width="120"Symbol!align=left width="60"Votes!align=left width="60"%
Sri Lanka Freedom PartyHand 9,494 51.07
Mortar 5,051 27.17
W. J .A. Wimaladharma United National PartyElephant 1,843 9.91
S. Godakumbura Cartwheel 894 4.81
D. B. J. Godage Key 768 4.13
R. F. Dela Bell 228 1.23
L. M. Gunasekera Banda Umbrella 202 1.09
align=left colspan=3Valid Votes18,480 99.40
align=left colspan=3Rejected Votes112 0.60
align=left colspan=3Total Polled18,592100.00
align=left colspan=3Registered Electors22,687
align=left colspan=4Turnout81.95

1960 (July) Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 5th parliamentary election held on 20 July 1960:[8]

align=left width="180"Candidate!align=left width="180"Party!align=left width="120"Symbol!align=left width="60"Votes!align=left width="60"%
Hand 11,201 60.94
Elephant 7,077 38.50
align=left colspan=3Valid Votes18,27899.45
align=left colspan=3Rejected Votes102 0.56
align=left colspan=3Total Polled18,380 100.00
align=left colspan=3Registered Electors22,687
align=left colspan=4Turnout81.02

1965 Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 6th parliamentary election held on 22 March 1965:[9]

align=left width="180"Candidate!align=left width="180"Party!align=left width="120"Symbol!align=left width="60"Votes!align=left width="60"%
Hand 14,498 55.54
Elephant 11,274 43.19
H. M. Bandaranayake Cartwheel 114 0.44
T. H. Gunadasa Sun 113 0.43
align=left colspan=3Valid Votes25,99999.59
align=left colspan=3Rejected Votes107 0.41
align=left colspan=3Total Polled26,106 100.00
align=left colspan=3Registered Electors30,050
align=left colspan=4Turnout86.88

1966 Parliamentary By Election

Results of the parliamentary by-election held 24 October 1966:[4]

align=left width="180"Candidate!align=left width="180"Party!align=left width="120"Symbol!align=left width="60"Votes!align=left width="60"%
Hand 14,471 52.28
Elephant 12,731 45.99
N. Piyadasa Mortar 338 1.22
align=left colspan=3Valid Votes27,54099.49
align=left colspan=3Rejected Votes141 0.51
align=left colspan=3Total Polled27,681 100.00
align=left colspan=3Registered Electors30,050
align=left colspan=4Turnout92.12

1970 Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 7th parliamentary election held on 27 May 1970:[10]

align=left width="180"Candidate!align=left width="180"Party!align=left width="120"Symbol!align=left width="60"Votes!align=left width="60"%
Hand 18,808 60.86
Elephant 11,619 37.60
S. Srikandam Eye 222 0.72
B. Delgoda Chair 176 0.57
align=left colspan=3Valid Votes30,82599.74
align=left colspan=3Rejected Votes80 0.26
align=left colspan=3Total Polled30,905 100.00
align=left colspan=3Registered Electors34,715
align=left colspan=4Turnout89.03

1977 Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 8th parliamentary election held on 21 July 1977:[11]

align=left width="180"Candidate!align=left width="180"Party!align=left width="120"Symbol!align=left width="60"Votes!align=left width="60"%
Elephant 19,502 52.18
Hand 15,829 42.35
A. William Key 1,676 4.48
W. S. Arachchi Bell 258 0.69
align=left colspan=3Valid Votes37,26599.70
align=left colspan=3Rejected Votes111 0.30
align=left colspan=3Total Polled37,376100.00
align=left colspan=3Registered Electors41,554
align=left colspan=4Turnout89.95

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Electoral System. Parliament of Sri Lanka.
  2. News: First parliamentary elections. Gaveshaka. Sunday Times. 19 August 2007. 14 October 2017.
  3. Web site: Result of Parliamentary General Election 1947 . Department of Elections, Sri Lanka . 12 October 2017 .
  4. Web site: Results of the Parliamentary By Elections held between 1947 - 1988 . Department of Elections, Sri Lanka . 12 October 2017 .
  5. Web site: Result of Parliamentary General Election 1952 . Department of Elections, Sri Lanka . 12 October 2017 .
  6. Web site: Result of Parliamentary General Election 1956 . Department of Elections, Sri Lanka . 12 October 2017 .
  7. Web site: Result of Parliamentary General Election March 1960 . Department of Elections, Sri Lanka . 12 October 2017 .
  8. Web site: Result of Parliamentary General Election July 1960 . Department of Elections, Sri Lanka . 12 October 2017 .
  9. Web site: Result of Parliamentary General Election 1965 . Department of Elections, Sri Lanka . 12 October 2017 .
  10. Web site: Result of Parliamentary General Election 1970 . Department of Elections, Sri Lanka . 12 October 2017 .
  11. Web site: Result of Parliamentary General Election 1977 . Department of Elections, Sri Lanka . 12 October 2017 .

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