# 1977 Sri Lankan parliamentary election

Parliamentary elections were held in Sri Lanka on 21 July 1977. The result was a landslide victory for the United National Party, which won 140 of the 168 seats in the National State Assembly.

## Background

Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike had become extraordinarily unpopular. Her economic policies had led to industrial growth and self-reliance, but were insufficient to overcome unemployment. Constitutionally, she had taken advantage of the 1972 constitution to delay the election until 1977, instead of 1975 as would have been the case under the old Soulbury constitution. The government's strong Sinhala nationalist stance had led to unrest in the Tamil north; in response, an island-wide state of emergency was imposed, causing hardship to many people. The UF coalition Bandaranaike had built for the 1970 elections had disintegrated.
By contrast, the United National Party had made a surprising comeback since its 1970 humiliation. Under the leadership of J.R. Jayewardene it had assiduously built up its ground organization. The UNP promised to solve the ethnic problem with a devolution package. Economically, it proposed opening up the Sri Lankan economy again. Constitutionally, the UNP called for replacing the Westminster-based political system with one modelled along French lines. Most importantly, it promised a free extra ration of eight pounds of cereal (the so-called eta ata), on top of the existing ration of two kilograms of rice.
More portentous was the status of the Tamil parties. The old federalist Tamil parties had merged to form the Tamil United Liberation Front, led by Appapillai Amirthalingam, which had gone beyond regional autonomy to openly call for independence of the Tamil-speaking regions of the country.

## Results

The UNP won the largest landslide in Sri Lankan history, taking over half the vote and 140 of the 168 seats, five-sixths of the legislature. The size of the landslide was magnified by the first-past-the-post system. The SLFP was decimated, falling from 91 seats to only eight–easily the worst defeat that a Sri Lankan ruling party has ever suffered, and one of the worst ever suffered by a governing party in a Westminster system.
For the first time, a Tamil party won the second-highest number of seats in Parliament and became the Official Opposition.
Abeyratne Pilapitiya of the UNP was elected MP for Kalawana, but was subsequently unseated in an election petition. Sarath Muttetuwegama of the Communist Party was returned to Parliament in the ensuing by-election.
The 1977 election was the only one held in Sri Lanka under the 1972 constitution. A year later, the UNP-dominated legislature amended the constitution to replace the parliamentary system with a presidential system. Under the provisions of the new document, Prime Minister Jayewardene became president on 4 February 1978.
Seats :
| | United National Party | 3,179,221 | 50.92 | 140 |
| | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | 1,855,331 | 29.72 | 8 |
| | Tamil United Liberation Front | 421,488 | 6.75 | 18 |
| | Lanka Sama Samaja Party | 225,317 | 3.61 | 0 |
| | Communist Party of Sri Lanka | 123,856 | 1.98 | 0 |
| | Ceylon Workers' Congress | 62,707 | 1.00 | 1 |
| | Mahajana Eksath Peramuna | 22,639 | 0.36 | 0 |
| | Independents | 353,014 | 5.65 | 1 |
| Total | Total | 6,243,573 | 100.00 | 168 |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 6,667,589 | – | |
| Source: Kusaka Research Institute |||||

## Results by electorate
### Western Province
#### Colombo District

| Electorate | Name of the Elected | Symbol |
| Colombo North | M. Vincent Perera | Elephant |
| Colombo Central | R.Premadasa | Elephant |
| Colombo Central | M.Jabir A. Cader | Eye |
| Colombo Central | M.Haleem Ishak | Hand |
| Borella | M.H.Mohomed | Elephant |
| Colombo East | A.Edmund Samarawickrema | Elephant |
| Colombo West | J.R.Jayewardene | Elephant |
| Dehiwala | S. de S. Jayasinghe | Elephant |
| Ratmalana | Lalith Athulathmudali | Elephant |
| Kolonnawa | Weerasinghe Mallimarachchi | Elephant |
| Kotte | Anandatissa de Alwis | Elephant |
| Kaduwela | M.D.H. Jayawardana | Elephant |
| Awissawella | M.D.Premarathna | Elephant |
| Homagama | Gamini Jayasuriya | Elephant |
| Maharagama | Premaratne Gunasekera | Elephant |
| Kesbewa | Dharmasena Attygalle | Elephant |
| Moratuwa | Tyronne Fernando | Elephant |

#### Gampaha District

| Electorate | Name of the Elected | Symbol |
| Wattala | D. Shelton Jayasinghe | Elephant |
| Negambo | N. Denzil Fernando | Elephant |
| Katana | Wijayapala Mendis | Elephant |
| Divulapitiya | Ariyaratne Jayatillake | Elephant |
| Mirigama | Mahendra Wijeratne | Elephant |
| Minuwangoda | Bennet Gunasekera | Elephant |
| Attanagalla | Sirimavo Bandaranaike | Hand |
| Gampaha | S. D. Bandaranayake | Hand |
| Ja-ela | Joseph Michael Perera | Elephant |
| Mahara | Tudor Gunasekara | Elephant |
| Dompe | Sarathchandra Rajakaruna | Elephant |
| Biyagama | Ranil Wickremasinghe | Elephant |
| Kelaniya | Kaluwadewage Cyril Mathew | Elephant |

#### Kalutara District

| Electorate | Name of the Elected | Symbol |
| Panadura | Neville Fernando | Elephant |
| Bandaragama | Senaraja Samaranayake | Elephant |
| Horana | Indradasa Hettiarachchi | Elephant |
| Bulathsinhala | O.S. Perera | Elephant |
| Mathugama | Reginold V. Wijegooneratne | Elephant |
| Kalutara | V.L.Wijemanne | Elephant |
| Beruwala | Abdul Bakeer Markar | Elephant |
| Beruwala | R. G. Samaranayake | Hand |
| Agalawatta | Merill Kariyawasam | Elephant |

### Central Province
#### Matale District

| Electorate | Name of the Elected | Symbol |
| Dambulla | K.W.R.M.Ekananayake | Elephant |
| Laggala | J.G.Wijeratne Banda | Elephant |
| Matale | Alick Aluvihare | Elephant |
| Rattota | P.B.Kaviratne | Elephant |

#### Kandy District

| Electorate | Name of the Elected | Symbol |
| Galagedara | W.M.G.T. Banda | Elephant |
| Harispattuwa | Abdul Cader Shahul Hameed | Elephant |
| Harispattuwa | R. Premachandra Wijesiri | Umbrella |
| Pathadumbara | T. B. Werapitiya | Elephant |
| Udadumbara | R.B. Attanayake | Elephant |
| Teldeniya | Gamini Rajapakse | Elephant |
| Kundasale | D.M. Chandrapala | Elephant |
| Hewaheta | Anura Daniel | Elephant |
| Senkadagala | Shelton Ranaraja | Elephant |
| Mahanuwara | E.L. Senanayake | Elephant |
| Yatinuwara | Sunil Subasiri Abeysundara | Elephant |
| Udunuwara | D.B. Wijetunga | Elephant |
| Gampola | W.P.B. Dissanayake | Elephant |

#### Nuwaraeliya District

| Electorate | Name of the Elected | Symbol |
| Navalapitiya | Chandradra Karunaratne | Elephant |
| Nuwaraeliya Maskeliya | Gamini Dissanayake | Elephant |
| Nuwaraeliya Maskeliya | Anura Bandaranaike | Hand |
| Nuwaraeliya Maskeliya | S. Thondaman | Cockerel |
| Kothmale | Ananda Dassanayake | Hand |
| Hanguranketha | George Abeygoonasekera | Elephant |
| Walapane | Renuka Herath (Mrs.) | Elephant |

### Southern Province
#### Galle District

| Electorate | Name of the Elected | Symbol |
| Balapitiya | Norman Waidyaratna | Elephant |
| Ambalangoda | Raitor Thilakasekara | Elephant |
| Karandeniya | Bandulahewa Senadheera | Elephant |
| Bentara-Elpitiya | Rupasena Karunatilake | Elephant |
| Hiniduma | M.S. Amarasiri | Elephant |
| Baddegama | E.D. Wickrematilaka | Elephant |
| Rathgma | Edwin Thilakaratne | Elephant |
| Galle | Albert de Silva | Elephant |
| Akmeemana | Sumanadasa Abeywickrama | Elephant |
| Habaraduwa | P. Sumathiratne | Elephant |

#### Matara District

| Electorate | Name of the Elected | Symbol |
| Deniyaya | Keerthisena Abeywickrama | Elephant |
| Hakmana | Harshanath Wanigasekara | Elephant |
| Akuressa | Dayananda Wickremasinghe | Elephant |
| Kamburupitiya | D.E. Malawaraarachchi | Elephant |
| Devinuwara | Ronnie de Mel | Elephant |
| Matara | S.K. Piyadasa | Elephant |
| Weligama | Montague Jayawickrema | Elephant |

#### Hambantota District

| Electorate | Name of the Elected | Symbol |
| Mulkirigala | T.D.Fransisku | Elephant |
| Beliatta | Ranjith Atapattu | Elephant |
| Tangalle | Jinadasa Weerasinghe | Elephant |
| Tissamaharama | P.M.B. Cyril | Elephant |

### Northern Province
#### Jaffna District

| Electorate | Name of the Elected | Symbol |
| Kayts | K.P. Ratnam | Sun |
| Vaddukkodai | T. Thirunavukarasu | Sun |
| Kankesanthurai | A. Amirthalingam | Sun |
| Manipay | V. Dharmalingam | Sun |
| Kopai | S. Kathiravelupillai | Sun |
| Udduppidi | T. Rasalingam | Sun |
| Point-Pedro | K. Thurairatnam | Sun |
| Chavakachcheri | V.N. Navaratnam | Sun |
| Nallur | M. Sivasithamparam | Sun |
| Jaffna | V. Yogeswaran | Sun |

#### Vanni District

| Electorate | Name of the Elected | Symbol |
| Kilinochchi | V. Anandasangary | Sun |
| Mannar | P.S. Soosaithasan | Sun |
| Mulativu | X.M.Sellathambu | Sun |
| Vavuniya | T. Sivasithamparam | Sun |

### Eastern Province
#### Trincomalee District

| Electorate | Name of the Elected | Symbol |
| Seruvila | H.D.L. Leelaratne | Elephant |
| Mutur | M.E.H. Maharoof | Elephant |
| Trincomalee | R. Sampathan | Sun |

#### Batticalao District

| Electorate | Name of the Elected | Symbol |
| Kalkudah | K.W. Devanayagam | Elephant |
| Batticaloa | C.Rajadurai & Farid Meeralebbai | Sun/Elephant |
| Paddiruppu | P. Ganeshalingam | Sun |

#### Ampara District

| Electorate | Name of the Elected | Symbol |
| Ampara | P. Dayaratna | Elephant |
| Sammanthurai | M. A. Abdul Majeed | Elephant |
| Kalmunai | Abdul Rasak Mansoor | Elephant |
| Potuvil | M.A.M. Jalaldeen & C.Kanagaratnam | Elephant/Sun |

### North Western Province
#### Puttalam District

| Electorate | Name of the Elected | Symbol |
| Puttalam | M.H.M. Neina Marikkar | Elephant |
| Anamaduwa | Saddhatissa Wadigamangawa | Hand |
| Chilaw | Harindra Corea | Elephant |
| Nattandiya | Harold Herath | Elephant |
| Wennappuwa | Festus Perera | Elephant |

#### Kurunegala District

| Electorate | Name of the Elected | Symbol |
| Galgamuwa | H.M.A. Lokubanda | Elephant |
| Nikaweratiya | H.B. Wanninayake | Elephant |
| Yapahuwa | H.B. Abeyratne | Elephant |
| Hiriyala | S.B. Herath | Elephant |
| Wariyapola | Amara Piyaseeli Ratnayake | Elephant |
| Panduwasnuwara | Kalubanda Ratnayake | Elephant |
| Bingiriya | J.L. Sirisena | Elephant |
| Katugampola | Gamini Jayawickrama Perera | Elephant |
| Kuliyapitiya | Lionel Jayatillake | Elephant |
| Dambadeniya | Ukkubanda Wijekoon | Elephant |
| Polgahawela | J.A.D.S. R. Jayakody | Elephant |
| Kurunegala | Dingiri Banda Welagedera | Elephant |
| Mawathagama | G.M. Premachandra | Elephant |
| Dodangaslanda | S.W. Alawatuwala | Elephant |

### North Central Province
#### Anuradapura District

| Electorate | Name of the Elected | Symbol |
| Medawachchiya | Maithripala Senanayake | Hand |
| Horoupothana | E.L.B.Hurulle | Elephant |
| Anuradhapura East | W.Y. Herath | Elephant |
| Anuradhapura West | K.D.M.C. Bandara | Elephant |
| Kalawewa | A.M.S. Adikari | Elephant |
| Mihintale | Dayaratne Walagambahu | Elephant |
| Kekirawa | G.D. Mahindsoma | Elephant |

#### Polonnaruwa District

| Electorate | Name of the Elected | Symbol |
| Minneriya | Merril de Silva | Elephant |
| Medirigiriya | A.D.B. Ekanayake | Elephant |
| Polonnaruwa | H.G.P. Nelson |

### Uva Province
#### Badulla District

| Electorate | Name of the Elected | Symbol |
| Mahiyangana | C.P.J.Seneviratne | Elephant |
| Viyaluwa | Weerawanni Samaraweera | Elephant |
| Passara | W.M. Karunaratne | Elephant |
| Badulla | D. Vincent Dias | Elephant |
| Hali-ela | R.M. Abeykoon | Elephant |
| Uva-paranagama | R.M. Karunaratne | Elephant |
| Welimada | Percy Samaraweera | Elephant |
| Bandarawela | R.M.Apphamy | Elephant |
| Haputale | W.J.M.Lokubandara | Elephant |

#### Monaragala District

| Electorate | Name of the Elected | Symbol |
| Bibile | R.M.Dharmadasa Banda | Elephant |
| Moneragala | R.M. Punchi Bandara | Elephant |
| Wellawaya | J.M. Kumaradasa | Elephant |

### Sabaragamuwa Province
#### Kegalle District

| Electorate | Name of the Elected | Symbol |
| Dedigama | Nissanka Parakrama Wijayaratne | Elephant |
| Galigamuwa | Wimala Kannangara (Mrs.) | Elephant |
| Kegalle | N.A. Seneviratne | Elephant |
| Rambukkana | Asoka Karunaratne | Elephant |
| Mawanella | C.R. Beligammana | Elephant |
| Aranayaka | Wasantha Udayaratne | Elephant |
| Yatiyantota | K. Vincent Perera | Elephant |
| Ruwanwella | P.C. Imbulana | Elephant |
| Deraniyagala | A.K.D. Wanigaratne | Elephant |

#### Ratnapura District

| Electorate | Name of the Elected | Symbol |
| Ehaliyagoda | Mervyn Kularatne | Elephant |
| Ratnapura | G.V. Punchinilame | Elephant |
| Pelmadulla | Chandrasekera Gankanda | Elephant |
| Balangoda | M.L.M.Aboosally | Elephant |
| Rakwana | H. Kularatne | Elephant |
| Nivitigala | Gamini Athukorale | Elephant |
| Kalawana | Abeyratna Pilapitiya | Elephant |
| Kolonna | Caluwadewage Nanda Mathew | Elephant |

## Violence

Post-poll violence killed 34 people between 22 and 25 July 1977.