# Kelaniya Electoral District

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

## Members of Parliament

Key
Independent SLFP UNP
| Election | Member | Party | Term |
| 1947 | Junius Jayawardene | United National Party | 1947-1952 |
| 1952 | Junius Jayawardene | United National Party | 1952-1956 |
| 1956 | Richard Senanayake | | 1956-1960 |
| 1960 | Junius Jayawardene | United National Party | 1960-1960 |
| 1960 | R. S. Perera | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | 1960-1965 |
| 1965 | R. S. Perera | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | 1965-1970 |
| 1970 | R. S. Perera | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | 1970-1977 |
| 1977 | Cyril Mathew | 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 | % |
| J. R. Jayewardene | | Elephant | 17,246 | 62.82% |
| B. Waidyasekera | | Hand | 10,206 | 37.18% |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 27,452 | 100.00% |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 390 | |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 27,842 | |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 47,638 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 58.44% |

### 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 | % |
| J. R. Jayewardene | | Hand | 22,103 | 50.81% |
| Vimala Wijewardene | | Elephant | 15,868 | 36.48% |
| Vivienne Goonewardena | | House | 4,857 | 11.17% |
| D. R. Jayamanna | | Star | 673 | 1.55% |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 43,501 | 100.00% |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 434 | |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 43,935 | |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 58,170 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 75.53% |

### 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 | % |
| R. G. Senanayake | | Umbrella | 37,023 | 71.55% |
| J. R. Jayewardene | | Elephant | 14,187 | 27.42% |
| M. P. P. W. Jayawardene | | Lamp | 377 | 0.73% |
| S. A. D. S. Gunawardena | | Cart Wheel | 158 | 0.31% |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 57,145 | 100.00% |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 325 | |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 52,070 | |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 67,542 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 77.09% |

### 1960 (March) Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 4th parliamentary election held on 19 March 1960 for the district:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| J. R. Jayewardene | United National Party | Elephant | 10,827 | 37.54% |
| R. S. Perera | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Hand | 9,318 | 32.31% |
| D. C. P. Benaragama | Mahajana Eksath Peramuna | Cart Wheel | 6,454 | 22.38% |
| N. S. Perera | | Key | 1,769 | 6.13% |
| D. V. Algama | | Pair of Scales | 284 | 0.98% |
| H. H. P. Saratha Kumar | | Lamp | 187 | 0.65% |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 28,839 | 100.00% |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 124 | |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 28,963 | |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 35,470 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 81.65% |

### 1960 (July) Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 5th parliamentary election held on 20 July 1960 for the district:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| R. S. Perera | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Hand | 15,801 | 56.34% |
| A. W. A. Abeyagoonasekera | United National Party | Elephant | 11,353 | 40.48% |
| C. Amarasinha | | Cart Wheel | 894 | 3.19% |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 28,048 | 100.00% |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 109 | |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 28,157 | |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 35,470 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 79.38% |

### 1965 Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 6th parliamentary election held on 22 March 1965 for the district:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| R. S. Perera | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Hand | 20,147 | 51.78% |
| A. W. A. Abeyagoonasekera | United National Party | Elephant | 18,268 | 46.95% |
| Saranapala Gunawadena | Mahajana Eksath Peramuna | Cart Wheel | 495 | 1.27% |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 38,910 | 100.00% |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 191 | |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 39,101 | |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 46,330 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 84.40% |

### 1970 Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 7th parliamentary election held on 27 May 1970 for the district:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| R. S. Perera | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Hand | 29,331 | 57.89% |
| A. W. A. Abeyagoonasekera | United National Party | Elephant | 20,992 | 41.43% |
| M. D. H. de Silva | | Bell | 348 | 0.69% |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 50,671 | 100.00% |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 178 | |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 50,849 | |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 59,968 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 84.79% |

### 1977 Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 8th parliamentary election held on 21 July 1977 for the district:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| Cyril Mathew | | Elephant | 23,477 | 56.08% |
| Erin Senanayake | | Hand | 16,958 | 40.51% |
| L. Wewala Panditha | | Star | 1,076 | 2.57% |
| H. A. Seneviratna | | Bell | 162 | 0.39% |
| R. H. Jayasekera | | Cart Wheel | 85 | 0.20% |
| M. D. H. de Silva | | Chair | 45 | 0.11% |
| V. Stephen Perera | | Omni Bus | 29 | 0.07% |
| Tissa Gerard Luwis | | Lamp | 29 | 0.07% |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 41,861* | 100.00% |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 71 | |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 41,932 | |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 49,470 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 84.76% |