# Mahara Electoral District

Mahara electoral district was an electoral district of Sri Lanka between March 1960 and February 1989. The district was named after the town of Mahara in 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. Mahara electoral district was replaced by the Gampaha multi-member electoral district at the 1989 general elections.

## Members of Parliament

Key
Independent SLFP UNP
| Election | Member | Party | Term |
| 1960 (March) | S. K. K. Suriarachchi | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | 1960 |
| 1960 (July) | S. K. K. Suriarachchi | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | 1960-1965 |
| 1965 | S. K. K. Suriarachchi | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | 1965-1970 |
| 1970 | S. K. K. Suriarachchi | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | 1970-1977 |
| 1977 | Tudor Gunasekara | United National Party | 1977-1983 |
| 1983 parliamentary by-election | Kamalawarana Jayakody | United National Party | 1983-1988 |

## Elections
### 1960 (March) Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 4th parliamentary election held on 19 March 1960:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| S. K. K. Suriarachchi | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Hand | 15,098 | 51.99 |
| Siridatta Jayakody | United National Party | Elephant | 9,002 | 30.99 |
| G. P. Abeywickrema | | Cartwheel | 1,971 | 6.79 |
| J. B. Siriwardena | | Key | 1,561 | 5.38 |
| Olive Amarasekera | | Umbrella | 386 | 1.33 |
| J. A. K. Perera | | Star | 297 | 1.02 |
| R. A. Rupasinghe | | Lamp | 186 | 0.64 |
| D. R. Jayamanne | | Scales | 147 | 0.51 |
| D. C. Jayakody | | Book | 85 | 0.29 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 28,823 | 99.25 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 218 | 0.75 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 29,041 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 35,120 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 82.69 |

### 1960 (July) Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 5th parliamentary election held on 20 July 1960:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| S. K. K. Suriarachchi | | Hand | 17,791 | 65.07 |
| Oscar de Levera | | Elephant | 8,991 | 32.88 |
| Dayapani Seneviratne | | Cartwheel | 416 | 1.52 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 27,198 | 99.47 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 145 | 0.53 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 27,143 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 35,120 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 77.86 |

### 1965 Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 6th parliamentary election held on 22 March 1965:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| S. K. K. Suriarachchi | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Hand | 20,573 | 55.49 |
| D. S. Gunasekera | United National Party | Elephant | 15,665 | 42.25 |
| Reginald Pieries | | Chair | 633 | 1.71 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 36,871 | 99.45 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 204 | 0.55 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 37,075 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 43,874 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 84.50 |

### 1970 Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 7th parliamentary election held on 27 May 1970:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| S. K. K. Suriarachchi | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Hand | 27,679 | 61.88 |
| Tudor Gunasekara | United National Party | Elephant | 16,883 | 37.75 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 44,562 | 99.63 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 167 | 0.37 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 44,729 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 51,464 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 86.91 |

### 1977 Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 8th parliamentary election held on 21 July 1977 for the district:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| Tudor Gunasekara | United National Party | Elephant | 25,016 | 51.42 |
| S. K. K. Suriarachchi | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Hand | 22,384 | 46.01 |
| J. A. K. Perera | | Star | 935 | 1.92 |
| K. P. D. Karunawansa | | Chair | 101 | 0.21 |
| Ananda Maddumage | | Lamp | 98 | 0.20 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 48,534 | 99.75 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 121 | 0.25 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 48,655 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 54,264 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 89.66 |

### 1983 Parliamentary By-Election

In early 1983 Gunasekara resigned as the member for Mahara, with nominations being called to fill the vacancy, closing 22 April. The results of the 1983 parliamentary by-election held on 18 May for the electorate:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| Kamalawarana Jayakody | United National Party | Elephant | 24,944 | 47.99 |
| Vijaya Kumaranatunga | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Hand | 24,899 | 47.90 |
| S. K. K. Suriarachchi | Independent | Scales | 1,837 | 3.53 |
| R. P. G. Rajapakse | | Butterfly | 76 | 0.15 |
| Loku Pulukkuttige Premadasa | | Chair | 48 | 0.09 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 51,804 | 99.66 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 177 | 0.34 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 51,981 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 65,660 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 79.17 |