# Ratnapura Electoral District (1947–1989)

Ratnapura electoral district was an electoral district of Sri Lanka between August 1947 and February 1989. The district was named after the city of Ratnapura 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. Ratnapura electoral district was replaced by the Ratnapura multi-member electoral district at the 1989 general elections, the first under the proportional representation system, Ratnapura continues to be a polling division of the multi-member electoral district.

## Members of Parliament

Key
Independent SLFP UNP
| Election | Member | Party | Term |
| 1947 | C. E. Attygalle | UNP | 1947 - 1952 |
| 1952 | C. E. Attygalle | UNP | 1952 - 1956 |
| 1956 | Jayaweera Kuruppu | SLFP | 1956 - 1960 |
| 1960 (March) | H. Weragama | UNP | 1960 |
| 1960 (July) | Dhanapala Weerasekera | SLFP | 1960 - 1965 |
| 1965 | Dhanapala Attygalle | UNP | 1965 - 1970 |
| 1970 | Nanda Ellawala | SLFP | 1970- 1977 |
| 1977 | G. V. Punchinilame | UNP | 1977 - 1989 |

## Elections
### 1947 Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 1st parliamentary election held between 23 August 1947 and 20 September 1947:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| Cyril Eugene Attygalle | United National Party | Cup | 6,603 | 50.06 |
| A. H. Wijetunge | Lanka Sama Samaja Party | Cartwheel | 4,804 | 36.42 |
| J. W. Rodrigo | Independent | Umbrella | 587 | 4.45 |
| K. A. Dalpatadu | Independent | Scales | 430 | 3.26 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 12,924 | 97.99 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 265 | 2.01 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 13,189 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 25,961 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 50.80 |

### 1952 Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 2nd parliamentary election held between 24 May 1952 and 30 May 1952:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| Cyril Eugene Attygalle | United National Party | Elephant | 11,191 | 53.82 |
| Arthur Reginald Perera | Communist Party of Ceylon | Star | 9,380 | 45.11 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 20,571 | 98.93 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 222 | 1.07 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 20,793 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 27,578 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 75.40 |

### 1956 Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 3rd parliamentary election held between 5 April 1956 and 10 April 1956:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| Jayaweera Kuruppu | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Hand | 16,644 | 70.75 |
| Cyril Eugene Attygalle | United National Party | Elephant | 6,286 | 26.72 |
| D. A. Karunaratne | | Glasses | 405 | 1.72 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 23,335 | 99.20 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 189 | 0.08 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 23,524 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 32,335 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 72.75 |

### 1960 (March) Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 4th parliamentary election held on 19 March 1960:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| H. Weragama | United National Party | Elephant | 7,434 | 34.78 |
| Victor Abeyaratne | Mahajana Eksath Peramuna | Cartwheel | 5,385 | 25.19 |
| Sarath Muttetuwegama | Communist Party of Ceylon | Star | 4,117 | 19.26 |
| Kamani Meedeniya | | Key | 3,047 | 14.26 |
| Dharmasiri Kuruppu | | Book | 1,192 | 5.58 |
| B. Jayasuriya | | Umbrella | 107 | 0.50 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 21,282 | 99.57 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 92 | 0.43 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 21,374 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 27,677 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 77.23 |

### 1960 (July) Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 5th parliamentary election held on 20 July 1960:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| Dhanapala Weerasekera | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Hand | 12,977 | 60.69 |
| H. Weragama | United National Party | Elephant | 8,013 | 37.47 |
| Nimal Karunatilake | Mahajana Eksath Peramuna | Cartwheel | 332 | 1.55 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 21,322 | 99.71 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 61 | 0.29 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 21,383 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 27,677 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 77.26 |

### 1965 Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 6th parliamentary election held on 22 March 1965:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| Dhanapala Attygalle | United National Party | Elephant | 11,463 | 39.22 |
| Sarath Muttetuwegama | | Lamp | 8,860 | 30.31 |
| Dharmaprema Jayawardena | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Hand | 8,580 | 29.35 |
| Ananda Wijeratne | | Sun | 180 | 0.62 |
| Siripala Weerawardhana | | Scales | 68 | 0.23 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 29,151 | 99.73 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 78 | 0.27 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 29,229 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 36,027 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 81.13 |

### 1970 Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 7th parliamentary election held on 27 May 1970:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| Nanda Ellawala | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Hand | 22,633 | 64.54 |
| P. B. Wijesundara | United National Party | Elephant | 12,002 | 34.23 |
| K. V. Dharmadasa | | Chair | 190 | 0.54 |
| K.T. Manis Singho | | Bell | 159 | 0.45 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 34,984 | 99.76 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 83 | 0.24 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 35,067 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 42,004 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 83.49 |

### 1977 Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 8th parliamentary election held on 21 July 1977:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| G. V. Punchinilame | United National Party | Elephant | 23,525 | 52.50 |
| Nanda Ellawala | Communist Party of Ceylon | Star | 16,022 | 35.75 |
| Piyadasa Pelendagama | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Hand | 5,000 | 11.16 |
| Mahinda Aabeysekera | | Scales | 157 | 0.35 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 44,683 | 99.72 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 123 | 0.28 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 44,807 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 51,679 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 86.70 |