G. J. Paris Perera Explained

Honorific-Prefix:Hon.
G. J. Paris Perera
Native Name Lang:si
Constituency Mp1:Ja-Ela
Parliament1:Ceylonese
Term Start1:1960
Term End1:1976
Predecessor1:Stanley de Zoysa
Successor1:Joseph Michael Perera
Birth Name:Gamamedaliyanage John Paris Perera
Birth Date:14 March 1922
Death Place:Colombo, Sri Lanka
Party:United National Party

Gamamedaliyanage John Paris Perera (14 March 1922 – 1976) was a Ceylonese politician.[1] [2] He was the Deputy Chairman of Committees and Member of Parliament from 1960 to 1977.[3]

Perera first contested for parliament at the 1956 general election in the Ja-Ela electorate, representing the United National Party (UNP). At the election he polled 19,132 votes (43% of the total vote) but was unsuccessful losing to the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) candidate Stanley de Zoysa by 5,249 votes.[4] He re-contested the seat of Ja-Ela at the 4th parliamentary election, held on 19 March 1960, where he defeated the sitting member, de Zoysa, by 3,195 (polling 44% of the total vote).[5] The election results however left neither of Ceylon's two major parties with a majority, with the result being the calling of another election. Perera was subsequently re-elected at the 5th parliamentary election held on 20 July 1960. This time receiving 13,622 votes (50% of the total vote), 2,724 votes ahead of the SLFP candidate, D. Oliver Jayasuriya, and 11,314 votes ahead of de Zoysa.[6]

Perera was also re-elected at the 6th parliamentary election, held on 22 March 1965, receiving 21,867 votes (61% of the total vote),[7] [8] and at the 1970 general election, polling 21,657 votes (50% of the total vote). He served as the Deputy Chairman of Committees from 9 March 1968 to 25 March 1970.

In 1976 Perera died whilst still in office.[9] [10] A by-election for Ja-Ela electorate was held on 23 April that year, and the seat was filled by Joseph Michael Perera from the UNP.[11]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Hon. Perera, Gamamedaliyanage John Paris, M.P. . Directory of Past Members. . 14 November 2019.
  2. Book: Members of the legislatures of Ceylon, 1931-1972. National State Assembly. 1972. 114.
  3. Web site: Deputy Chairman of Committees . parliament.lk . . 14 November 2019.
  4. Web site: Result of Parliamentary General Election 1956 . Department of Elections, Sri Lanka . 19 November 2019.
  5. Web site: Result of Parliamentary General Election March 1960 . Department of Elections, Sri Lanka . 19 November 2019.
  6. Web site: Result of Parliamentary General Election July 1960 . Department of Elections, Sri Lanka . 19 November 2019 .
  7. Web site: Result of Parliamentary General Election 1965 . Department of Elections, Sri Lanka . 19 November 2019.
  8. Book: Parliament of Ceylon, 1970. Abeynaike, H. B. W.. Ameratunga, H. P.. Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited . 1970. 61.
  9. News: Minister John Amaratunga - 25 years a parliamentarian. S. J. Anthony. Fernando. The Daily News. 15 October 2003. 19 November 2019.
  10. News: Saga of crossovers, expulsions and resignations etc. Referendum for of Parliament. Wimal. Wickramasinghe. The Island. 18 January 2008. 19 November 2019 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080122123208/http://www.island.lk/2008/01/18/features11.html. 22 January 2008 .
  11. Web site: Results of the Parliamentary By-Elections held between 1947 and 1988 . Department of Elections, Sri Lanka . 19 November 2019.