Dedigama Electoral District

Dedigama electoral district was an electoral district of Sri Lanka between August 1947 and February 1989. The district was named after the town of Dedigama in Kegalle 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] Dedigama electoral district was replaced by the Kegalle multi-member electoral district at the 1989 general elections, the first under the proportional representation system.

Members of Parliament

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Key

  Independent   UNP   MEP

Election Member Party Term
1947 Dudley Senanayake United National Party 1947-1952
1952 1952-1956
1956 Maithripala Herath Mahajana Eksath Peramuna 1956-1960
1960 (March) Dudley Senanayake United National Party 1960
1960 (July) 1960-1965
1965 1965-1970
1970 1970-1973
1973 (by-election) Rukman Senanayake 1973-1977
1977 Nissanka Wijeyeratne 1977-1989

Elections

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1947 Parliamentary General Election

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Results of the 1st parliamentary election held between 23 August 1947 and 20 September 1947:[2]

Candidate Party Symbol Votes %
Dudley Senanayake United National Party Hand 20,170 85.14
B. J. Fernando Elephant 3,308 13.96
Valid Votes 23,478 99.10
Rejected Votes 213 0.90
Total Polled 23,691 100.00
Registered Electors 29,556
Turnout 80.16

1952 Parliamentary General Election

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Results of the 2nd parliamentary election held between 24 May 1952 and 30 May 1952:[3]

Candidate Party Symbol Votes %
Dudley Senanayake United National Party Elephant 21,206 75.13
Hector Wijetunga Star 5,647 20.01
Darrell Peiris Sri Lanka Freedom Party Hand 1,136 4.02
Valid Votes 27,989 99.16
Rejected Votes 237 0.84
Total Polled 28,226 100.00
Registered Electors 34,764
Turnout 81.19

1956 Parliamentary General Election

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Results of the 3rd parliamentary election held between 5 April 1956 and 10 April 1956:[4]

Candidate Party Symbol Votes %
Maithripala Herath Sri Lanka Freedom Party Hand 22,816 77.26
Wimala I. Kannangara United National Party Elephant 6,360 21.54
W. A. Munasinghe Umbrella 191 0.65
Valid Votes 29,367 99.44
Rejected Votes 164 0.56
Total Polled 29,531 100.00
Registered Electors 39,972
Turnout 73.88

1960 (March) Parliamentary General Election

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Results of the 4th parliamentary election held on 19 March 1960:[5]

Candidate Party Symbol Votes %
Dudley Senanayake United National Party Elephant 12,208 49.52
W. A. Munasinghe Sri Lanka Freedom Party Hand 5,629 22.83
Athauda Seneviratne Lanka Sama Samaja Party Key 4,383 17.78
Maithripala Herath Cartwheel 2,289 9.28
Valid Votes 24,509 99.41
Rejected Votes 146 0.59
Total Polled 24,655 100.00
Registered Electors 29,061
Turnout 84.84

1960 (July) Parliamentary General Election

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Results of the 5th parliamentary election held on 20 July 1960:[6]

Candidate Party Symbol Votes %
Dudley Senanayake United National Party Elephant 13,340 53.12
Deshapriya Senanayake Sri Lanka Freedom Party Hand 11,683 46.52
Valid Votes 25,023 99.63
Rejected Votes 92 0.37
Total Polled 25,115 100.00
Registered Electors 29,061
Turnout 86.42

1965 Parliamentary General Election

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Results of the 6th parliamentary election held on 22 March 1965:[7]

Candidate Party Symbol Votes %
Dudley Senanayake United National Party Elephant 17,987 55.02
Deshapriya Senanayake Sri Lanka Freedom Party Hand 14,558 44.53
Valid Votes 32,545 99.54
Rejected Votes 149 0.46
Total Polled 32,694 100.00
Registered Electors 36,072
Turnout 90.64

1970 Parliamentary General Election

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Results of the 7th parliamentary election held on 27 May 1970:[8]

Candidate Party Symbol Votes %
Dudley Senanayake United National Party Elephant 19,513 51.29
Dharmasiri Senanayake Sri Lanka Freedom Party Hand 18,446 48.48
Valid Votes 37,959 99.77
Rejected Votes 89 0.23
Total Polled 38,048 100.00
Registered Electors 41,595
Turnout 91.47

1973 Parliamentary by-election

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Following the death of Dudley Senanayake in April 1973 a by-election for the seat of Dedigama was held on 9 July 1973:[9]

Candidate Party Symbol Votes %
Rukman Senanayake United National Party Elephant 23,306 54.61
Dharmasiri Senanayake Sri Lanka Freedom Party Hand 18,798 44.05
Sirisena Rajapakse Chair 227 0.53
J. D. Sugathadasa Lamp 205 0.48
Valid Votes 42,536 99.67
Rejected Votes 139 0.33
Total Polled 42,675 100.00
Registered Electors
Turnout

1977 Parliamentary General Election

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Results of the 8th parliamentary election held on 21 July 1977:[10]

Candidate Party Symbol Votes %
Nissanka Wijeyeratne United National Party Elephant 24,436 54.07
Dharmasiri Senanayake Sri Lanka Freedom Party Hand 17,704 39.18
A. R. Victor Rajapakse Chair 2,071 4.58
M. J. F. Ratnayake Key 829 1.83
A. R. Wijeratne Ladder 152 0.34
Valid Votes 45,050 99.69
Rejected Votes 124 0.31
Total Polled 45,192 100.00
Registered Electors 50,729
Turnout 89.09

References

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  1. ^ "The Electoral System". Parliament of Sri Lanka.
  2. ^ "Result of Parliamentary General Election 1947" (PDF). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  3. ^ "Result of Parliamentary General Election 1952" (PDF). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  4. ^ "Result of Parliamentary General Election 1956" (PDF). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  5. ^ "Result of Parliamentary General Election March 1960" (PDF). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  6. ^ "Result of Parliamentary General Election July 1960" (PDF). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  7. ^ "Result of Parliamentary General Election 1965" (PDF). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  8. ^ "Result of Parliamentary General Election 1970" (PDF). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  9. ^ "Results of the Parlimentary By-Elections held between 1947 – 198" (PDF). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  10. ^ "Result of Parliamentary General Election 1977" (PDF). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 10 February 2020.