# Trincomalee Electoral District (1947–1989)

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

## Members of Parliament

Key
Independent All Ceylon Tamil Congress Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi TULF
| Election | Member | Party | Term |
| 1947 | S. Sivapalan | All Ceylon Tamil Congress | 1947-1952 |
| 1952 | N. R. Rajavarothiam | Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi | 1952-1963 |
| 1956 | N. R. Rajavarothiam | Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi | 1952-1963 |
| 1960 (March) | N. R. Rajavarothiam | Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi | 1952-1963 |
| 1960 (July) | N. R. Rajavarothiam | Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi | 1952-1963 |
| 1963 | S. M. Manickarajah | Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi | 1963-1970 |
| 1965 | S. M. Manickarajah | Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi | 1963-1970 |
| 1970 | B. Neminathan | Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi | 1970-1977 |
| 1977 | R. Sampanthan | Tamil United Liberation Front | 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 | % |
| S. Sivapalan | All Ceylon Tamil Congress | House | 5,252 | 56.15% |
| A.C. Kanagasingham | | Umbrella | 3225 | 34.48% |
| E.A.P. Nandias Silva | | Elephant | 877 | 9.38% |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 9,354 | 100.00% |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 980 | |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 10,334 | |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 18,421 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 56.10% | |

### 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 | % |
| N. R. Rajavarothiam | Federal Party | House | 4,450 | 45.80% |
| S. Sivapalan | | Elephant | 3,864 | 39.77% |
| K. Sivapalan | | Star | 1,403 | 14.44% |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 9,717 | 100.00% |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 103 | |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 9,820 | |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 14,272 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 68.81% | |

### 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 | % |
| N. R. Rajavarothiam | Federal Party | House | 7,048 | 56.88% |
| J.A. Muthuthanthirige | | Umbrella | 2,965 | 23.93% |
| A.I. Rajasingham | | Bicycle | 2,378 | 19.19% |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 12,391 | 100.00% |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 58 | |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 12,449 | |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 16,093 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 77.36% | |

### 1960 (March) Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 4th parliamentary election held on 19 March 1960 for the district:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| N. R. Rajavarothiam | Federal Party | House | 8,872 | 71.43% |
| R.M.G. Thusthakeer | Independent | Pair of Spectacles | 1,311 | 10.55% |
| A. Piyadasa | | Hand | 1,265 | 10.18% |
| Sri Lal Goonaratne | | Umbrella | 973 | 7.83% |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 12,421 | 100.00% |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 127 | |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 12,548 | |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 19,024 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 65.96% | |

### 1960 (July) Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 5th parliamentary election held on 20 July 1960 for the district:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| N. R. Rajavarothiam | Federal Party | House | 8,649 | 64.88% |
| E.R.S.R. Coomaraswamy | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Hand | 4,614 | 34.61% |
| K. B.Ariyadasa | | Cart Wheel | 67 | 0.50% |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 13,330 | 100.00% |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 116 | |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 13,446 | |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 19,024 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 70.68% | |
N. R. Rajavarothiam died on 27 August 1963.

### 1963 Parliamentary By-Election

Results of the parliamentary by-election held on November 23, 1963:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| S. M. Manickarajah | Federal Party | House | 11,532 | 60.28% |
| A. H. Alwis | | Star | 5,721 | 29.91% |
| A. Wijayanathan | | Cart Wheel | 1,876 | 9.81% |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 19,129 | 100.00% |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 134 | |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 19,263 | |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 26,427 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 72.89% | |

### 1965 Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 6th parliamentary election held on 22 March 1965 for the district:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| S. M. Manickarajah | Federal Party | House | 9,651 | 48.48% |
| V.R. Navaratnarajah | | Elephant | 5,702 | 28.64% |
| S.H. Somapala | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Hand | 4,555 | 22.88% |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 19,908 | 100.00% |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 271 | |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 20,179 | |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 27,643 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 73.00% | |

### 1970 Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 7th parliamentary election held on 27 May 1970 for the district:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| B. Neminathan | Federal Party | House | 12,395 | 45.83% |
| S.M.A. C. Jamaldeen | United Front | Hand | 8,346 | 30.86% |
| V.R. Navaratnarajah | | Elephant | 5,703 | 21.09% |
| R.G.Senanayake | | Bell | 601 | 2.22% |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 27,045 | 100.00% |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 108 | |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 27,153 | |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 35,445 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 76.61% | |

### 1977 Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 8th parliamentary election held on 21 July 1977 for the district:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| R. Sampanthan | Tamil United Liberation Front | Sun | 15,144 | 51.76% |
| V.R. Navaratnarajah | | Elephant | 11,823 | 40.41% |
| S. Thavarasa | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Hand | 1,674 | 5.72% |
| Gunadasa Warnasuriya | | Butterfly | 565 | 1.93% |
| E.J.A.P. Babysingho | | Bell | 54 | 0.18% |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 29,260 | 100.00% |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 119 | |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 29,379 | |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 35,778 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 82.11% | |