# Moratuwa Electoral District

Moratuwa electoral district was an electoral district of Sri Lanka between August 1947 and February 1989. The district was named after the city of Moratuwa in Colombo District, Western 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. Moratuwa electoral district was replaced by the Colombo multi-member electoral district at the 1989 general elections, the first under the PR system, though Moratuwa continues to be a polling division of the multi-member electoral district.

## Members of Parliament

Key
Independent LSSP SLFP UNP
| Election | Member | Party | Term |
| 1947 | Somaweera Chandrasiri | LSSP | 1947-1952 |
| 1952 | Somaweera Chandrasiri | LSSP | 1952-1956 |
| 1956 | T. W. Merril Fernando | LSSP | 1956-1960 |
| 1960 | M. Ruskin Fernando | UNP | 1960-1960 |
| 1960 | T. W. Merril Fernando | LSSP | 1960-1965 |
| 1965 | M. Ruskin Fernando | UNP | 1965-1970 |
| 1970 | Wimalasiri de Mel | LSSP | 1970-1977 |
| 1977 | Tyronne Fernando | UNP | 1977-1989 |

## Elections
### 1947 Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 1st parliamentary election held between 23 August 1947 and 20 September 1947 for the district:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| Somaweera Chandrasiri | Lanka Sama Samaja Party | Hand | 13,464 | 48.15% |
| T. Amarasuriya | | Chair | 9,547 | 33.58 |
| Darrel Peiris | Independent | Lamp | 3,523 | 12.39 |
| Watson Fernando | | Star | 722 | 2.54 |
| A. C. W. Peiris | | Spoon | 494 | 1.74 |
| Gilbert Perera | | Elephant | 210 | 0.74 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 27,960 | 98.36 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 467 | 1.64 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 28,427 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 57,723 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 49.25 |

### 1952 Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 2nd parliamentary election held between 24 May 1952 and 30 May 1952 for the district:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| Somaweera Chandrasiri | Lanka Sama Samaja Party | Elephant | 16,125 | 40.75 |
| Jermyn G. Fernando | | Hand | 12,741 | 32.20 |
| D. D. Abeysinghe | | Star | 10,283 | 25.99 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 39,149 | 98.65 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 417 | 1.05 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 39,566 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 55,090 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 71.82 |

### 1956 Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 3rd parliamentary election held between 5 April 1956 and 10 April 1956 for the district:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| Meryl Fernando | Lanka Sama Samaja Party | Key | 19,529 | 48.20 |
| H. E. P. de Mel | United National Party | Elephant | 11,811 | 29.15 |
| Somaweera Chandrasiri | Independent | Flower | 6,559 | 16.19 |
| M. Vincent Perera | | Aeroplane | 2,267 | 5.60 |
| M. S. Oliver Stembo | | Chair | 166 | 0.41 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 40,332 | 99.51 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 187 | 0.49 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 40,519 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 60,395 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 67.09 |

### 1960 (March) Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 4th parliamentary election held on 19 March 1960 for the district:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| M. Ruskin Fernando | United National Party | Elephant | 10,262 | 42.14 |
| Meryl Fernando | | Key | 9,427 | 38.71 |
| Nina Wijesuriya | | Lamp | 2,137 | 8.78 |
| Watson Fernando | Communist Party | Star | 1,091 | 4.48 |
| Leonard de Mel | | Ship | 648 | 2.66 |
| P. J. D. Rodrigo | | Umbrella | 355 | 1.46 |
| S. O. Stembo | | Saw | 197 | 0.81 |
| Samuel P. C. Fernando | | Sun | 90 | 0.37 |
| Vinnie de Silva | | Pair of Scales | 0.27 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 24,272 | 99.66 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 82 | 0.34 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 24,354 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 32,413 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 75.14 |

### 1960 (July) Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 5th parliamentary election held on 20 July 1960 for the district:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| Meryl Fernando | Lanka Sama Samaja Party | Key | 12,943 | 51.59 |
| M. Ruskin Fernando | United National Party | Elephant | 11,593 | 46.21 |
| Mohandas de Mel | | Cart Wheel | 485 | 1.93 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 25,021 | 99.74 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 66 | 0.26 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 25,087 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 32,413 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 77.40 |

### 1965 Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 6th parliamentary election held on 22 March 1965 for the district:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| M. Ruskin Fernando | United National Party | Elephant | 18,059 | 51.26 |
| Kusala Abhayawardhana | Lanka Sama Samaja Party | Key | 16,020 | 45.47 |
| Meryl Fernando | | Lamp | 1,048 | 2.98 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 35,127 | 99.71 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 102 | 0.29 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 35,229 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 44,955 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 78.37 |

### 1970 Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 7th parliamentary election held on 27 May 1970 for the district:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| Wimalasiri De Mel | Lanka Sama Samaja Party | Key | 24,672 | 54.52 |
| M. Ruskin Fernando | United National Party | Elephant | 20,258 | 44.77 |
| G. K. Nina Wijesuriya | | Bell | 252 | 0.56 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 45,182 | 99.85 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 68 | 0.15 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 45,250 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 54,188 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 83.51 |

### 1977 Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 8th parliamentary election held on 21 July 1977 for the district:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| Tyronne Fernando | | Elephant | 28,488 | 54.21 |
| Douglas Fernano | | Hand | 13,614 | 25.91 |
| Wimalasiri De Mel | | Key | 7,000 | 13.32 |
| Meryl Fernando | | Lamp | 2,891 | 5.50 |
| P. F. Calistus Perera | | Chair | 112 | 0.21 |
| A. Francis Fernando | | Umbrella | 111 | 0.21 |
| Nina Wijesuriya | | Bell | 86 | 0.16 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 52,302 | 99.52 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 250 | 0.48 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 52,552 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 64,190 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 81.87 |