| Honorific-Prefix: | Hon. |
| R. G. Samaranayake | |
| Office1: | Member of the Parliament of Ceylon |
| Constituency1: | Bentara-Elpitiya |
| Term Start1: | March 1960 |
| Term End1: | July 1960 |
| Predecessor1: | seat created |
| Successor1: | Albert Kariyawasam |
| Term Start2: | 1965 |
| Term End2: | 1966 |
| Predecessor2: | Albert Kariyawasam |
| Successor2: | Albert Kariyawasam |
| Office3: | Member of the Parliament of Sri Lanka |
| Constituency3: | Beruwala |
| Term Start3: | 1977 |
| Term End3: | 1989 |
| Birth Name: | Richard Gregory Samaranayake |
| Birth Date: | 12 November 1923 |
| Party: | United National Party |
| Spouse: | Irene née Jirasinghe |
| Children: | 2 |
Richard Gregory Samaranayake (12 November 1923 - 18 June 1992) was a Ceylonese planter and politician.[1] [2]
Richard Gregory Samaranayake was born on 12 November 1923, the eldest son of Hettiarachchige Don Saman Samaranayake of Mirigama. He was educated at Royal College, Colombo. He possesses a Diploma in Agriculture.
He contested the 4th parliamentary election, held on 19 March 1960, as the United National Party candidate in the newly created electorate of Bentara-Elpitiya. He defeated the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna candidate, Albert Kariyawasam, by 592 votes.[3] At the subsequent 5th parliamentary election, held on 20 July 1960, Samaranayake lost to Kariyawasam, who now represented the Sri Lanka Freedom Party by 5,987 votes.[4]
At the 6th parliamentary elections, held on 22 March 1965, Samaranayake received 22,085 votes (49% of the total vote) defeating the sitting member, Kariyawasam, by 5,987 votes.[5] [6] In November 1965 an Election Judge ruled the election result void, on the grounds that a sub-agent of Samaranayake, Soma Withanachchi, made false and misleading statements (allegations of bribery by Kariyawasam) at an election campaign meeting on 5 March 1965. A subsequent appeal by Samaranayake was dismissed on 1 August 1966 and the original decision was upheld.[7] At the subsequent parliamentary by-election, held on 24 October 1966, his brother, Colin Wijesekera, ran in his place but was defeated by Kariyawasam by 1,677 votes.[8] [9]
Samaranayake married Irene Jirasinghe, the daughter of Reggie F. Jirasinghe and D. C. Wijesundere, they had two children.