# Avissawella Electoral District

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

## Members of Parliament

Key
Independent MEP Viplavakari Lanka Sama Samaja Party LSSP SLFP
| Election | Member | Party | Term |
| 1947 | Philip Gunawardena | Lanka Sama Samaja Party | 1947-1948 |
| 1948 by-election | Kusumasiri Gunawardena | Lanka Sama Samaja Party | 1948-1952 |
| 1952 | Kusumasiri Gunawardena | Viplavakari Lanka Sama Samaja Party | 1952-1956 |
| 1956 | Philip Gunawardena | Viplavakari Lanka Sama Samaja Party | 1956-1960 |
| 1960 | Philip Gunawardena | Mahajana Eksath Peramuna | 1960-1960 |
| 1960 | Philip Gunawardena | Mahajana Eksath Peramuna | 1960-1965 |
| 1965 | Philip Gunawardena | Mahajana Eksath Peramuna | 1965-1970 |
| 1970 | Bonnie Jayasuriya | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | 1970-1977 |
| 1977 | M. D. Premaratne | United National Party | 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 | % |
| Philip Gunawardena | Lanka Sama Samaja Party | Hand | 17,598 | 74.78 |
| Bernard Jayasuriya | | Elephant | 5,676 | 24.12 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 23,274 | 98.90 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 259 | 0.11 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 23,533 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 50,009 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47.06 |

### 1948 Parliamentary By-Election

Results of the 1948 parliamentary by-election, at which Kusumasiri Gunawardena was elected unopposed:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| Kusumasiri Gunawardena | | | - | - |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | - | - |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | - | - |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | - | - |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 50,009 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | - |

### 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 | % |
| Kusumasiri Gunawardena | | Elephant | 19,414 | 50.75 |
| Clodagh Jayasuriya | | Hand | 18,485 | 48.32 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 37,899 | 99.06 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 358 | 0.94 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 38,257 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 52,507 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 72.86 |

### 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 | % |
| Philip Gunawardena | | Hand | 30,070 | 78.33 |
| Clodagh Jayasuriya | | Elephant | 7,818 | 20.36 |
| H. M. S. Jayawardhana | | Bicycle | 258 | 0.67 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 38,146 | 99.36 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 244 | 0.64 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 38,390 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 59,267 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 64.77 |

### 1960 (March) Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 4th parliamentary election held on 19 March 1960 for the district:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| Philip Gunawardena | Mahajana Eksath Peramuna | Cartwheel | 16,648 | 59.72 |
| Ariyadasa Jayawardena | United National Party | Elephant | 10,395 | 37.29 |
| Neville de Jacolyn | | Umbrella | 657 | 2.36 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 27,700 | 99.37 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 175 | 0.63 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 27,875 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 33,589 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 82.99 |

### 1960 (July) Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 5th parliamentary election held on 20 July 1960 for the district:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| Philip Gunawardena | Mahajana Eksath Peramuna | Cartwheel | 13,295 | 50.20 |
| Ariyadasa Jayawardena | United National Party | Elephant | 10,600 | 40.02 |
| R. P. Jayawardena | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Hand | 2,482 | 9.37 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 26,377 | 99.59 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 108 | 0.41 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 26,485 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 33,589 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 78.85 |

### 1965 Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 6th parliamentary election held on 22 March 1965 for the district:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| Philip Gunawardena | Mahajana Eksath Peramuna | Cartwheel | 22,093 | 66.80 |
| Soma Wickramanayake | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Hand | 10,766 | 32.55 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 32,859 | 99.34 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 217 | 0.65 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 33,076 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 40,902 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 80.87 |

### 1970 Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 7th parliamentary election held on 27 May 1970 for the district:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| Bonnie Jayasuriya | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Hand | 19,687 | 48.77 |
| Philip Gunawardena | Mahajana Eksath Peramuna | Cartwheel | 17,661 | 43.75 |
| Siripala Padukka | | Chair | 2,883 | 7.14 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 40,231 | 99.67 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 134 | 0.33 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 40,365 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 46,402 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 86.99% |

### 1977 Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 8th parliamentary election held on 21 July 1977 for the district:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| M. D. Premaratne | United National Party | Elephant | 23,812 | 49.53 |
| Dinesh Gunawardena | Mahajana Eksath Peramuna | Cartwheel | 17,897 | 37.23 |
| W. P. Senanayake | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Hand | 4,762 | 9.91 |
| Chandrapala Kumarage | | Key | 1,187 | 2.47 |
| Don Pemaratne Thillakaratne | | Pair of Scales | 282 | 0.59 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 47,940 | 99.71 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 138 | 0.29 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 48,078 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 54,375 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 88.42 |