# Polonnaruwa Electoral District (1947–1989)

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

## Members of Parliament

Key
Independent SLFP UNP
| Election | Member | Party | Term |
| 1947 | P. L. Bauddhasara | UNP | 1947 - 1952 |
| 1952 | C. P. de Silva | SLFP | 1952 - 1956 |
| 1956 | C. P. de Silva | SLFP | 1956 - 1960 |
| 1960 (March) | A. H. de Silva | SLFP | 1960 |
| 1960 (July) | A. H. de Silva | SLFP | 1960 - 1965 |
| 1965 | K. A. Leelaratne Wijesinghe | SLFP | 1965 - 1970 |
| 1970 | K. A. Leelaratne Wijesinghe | SLFP | 1970 -1977 |
| 1977 | H. G. P. Nelson | 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 | % |
| P. L. Bauddhasara | United National Party | Lamp | 1,604 | 44.87 |
| R. B. Wijeratne | United National Party | House | 830 | 23.22 |
| M. S. Abubucker | Lanka Sama Samaja Party | Elephant | 818 | 22.88 |
| S. M. Ismail | United National Party | Pair of Scales | 108 | 3.02 |
| P. D. S. Jayasekera | United National Party | Cup | 68 | 1.90 |
| S. Seneviratne | United National Party | Hand | 45 | 1.26 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 3,473 | 97.15 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 102 | 2.85 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 3,575 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 5,838 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 61.24 |

### 1952 Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 2nd parliamentary election held between 24 May 1952 and 30 May 1952:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| C. P. de Silva | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Elephant | 5,498 | 64.24 |
| P. L. Bauddhasara | United National Party | Lamp | 2,856 | 33.37 |
| Ariyawansa Goonasekara | Communist Party | Star | 129 | 1.51 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 8,483 | 99.11 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 76 | 0.89 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 8,559 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 15,796 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 54.19 |

### 1956 Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 3rd parliamentary election held between 5 April 1956 and 10 April 1956:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| C. P. de Silva | | Hand | 10,072 | 68.64 |
| G. Lionel Kotalawala | | Elephant | 3,948 | 26.91 |
| D. J. Kuruppu | | Eye | 479 | 3.26 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 14,499 | 98.81 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 174 | 1.19 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 14,673 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 26,727 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 54.90 |

### 1960 (March) Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 4th parliamentary election held on 19 March 1960:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| A. H. de Silva | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Hand | 7,107 | 54.00 |
| P. L. Bauddhasara | United National Party | Elephant | 3,981 | 30.25 |
| K. A. Leelaratne Wijesinghe | | Key | 989 | 7.52 |
| D. B. W. Yapa | | Cartwheel | 438 | 3.33 |
| A. Suriya Arachchi | | Umbrella | 412 | 3.13 |
| Y. W. Peiris | | Lamp | 107 | 1.29 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 13,034 | 99.04 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 127 | 0.96 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 13,161 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 17,654 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 74.55 |

### 1960 (July) Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 5th parliamentary election held on 20 July 1960:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| A. H. de Silva | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Hand | 7,540 | 58.26 |
| P. L. Bauddhasara | United National Party | Elephant | 5,321 | 41.12 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 12,861 | 99.38 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 80 | 0.62 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 12,941 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 17,654 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 73.30 |

### 1965 Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 6th parliamentary election held on 22 March 1965:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| K. A. Leelaratne Wijesinghe | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Hand | 7,840 | 44.31 |
| A. H. de Silva | Lanka Prajathanthravadi Pakshaya | Sun | 5,988 | 33.85 |
| P. L. Bauddhasara | Independent | Lamp | 3,773 | 21.33 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 17,501 | 98.92 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 191 | |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 17,692 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 22,938 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 77.13 |

### 1970 Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 7th parliamentary election held on 27 May 1970:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| K. A. Leelaratne Wijesinghe | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Hand | 11,927 | 52.30 |
| Merril de Silva | United National Party | Elephant | 10,802 | 47.36 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 22,729 | 99.66 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 78 | 0.34 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 22,807 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 27,452 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 83.08 |

### 1977 Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 8th parliamentary election held on 21 July 1977:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| H. G. P. Nelson | United National Party | Elephant | 14,941 | 58.80 |
| K. A. Leelaratne Wijesinghe | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Hand | 9,926 | 39.06 |
| M. M. A. Shelton Moraes | | Ladder | 219 | 0.86 |
| H. A. Wipulasena | | Star | 120 | 0.47 |
| G. A. K. Arnolis Appu | | Lamp | 67 | 0.26 |
| D. G. Saranelis Dayawansa | | Tree | 37 | 0.15 |
| L. S. Wimalasekera Silva | | Clock | 32 | 0.13 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 25,342 | 99.73 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 69 | 0.27 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 25,411 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 30,631 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 82.96 |