# Matara Electoral District (1947–1989)

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

## Members of Parliament

Key
Independent SLFP UNP Communist Party
| Election | Member | Party | Term |
| 1947 | H. D. Abeygoonewardane | CCP | 1947-1952 |
| 1952 | Mahanama Samaraweera | CCP | 1952-1956 |
| 1956 | Mahanama Samaraweera | SLFP | 1956-1960 |
| 1960 (March) | Justin C. Wijayawardhene | UNP | 1960 |
| 1960 (July) | Mahanama Samaraweera | SLFP | 1960-1965 |
| 1965 | B. Y. Tudawe | CCP | 1965-1970 |
| 1970 | B. Y. Tudawe | CCP | 1970-1977 |
| 1977 | S. K. Piyadasa | UNP | 1970-1989 |

## Elections
### 1947 Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 1st parliamentary election held between 23 August 1947 and 20 September 1947:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| H. D. Abeygoonewardane | Communist Party of Ceylon | Pineapple | 11,970 | 57.31 |
| W. Gunasekera | | Umbrella | 5,279 | 25.27 |
| G. Weeratunga | | Scales | 2,261 | 10.83 |
| K. K. D. Silva | | Cartwheel | 442 | 2.12 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 20,352 | 97.44 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 535 | 2.56 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 20,887 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 39,930 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 52.31 |

### 1952 Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 2nd parliamentary election held between 24 May 1952 and 30 May 1952:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| Mahanama Samaraweera | Communist Party of Ceylon | Star | 11,861 | 42.41 |
| Edward Benjamin Senaratne | | Umbrella | 10,785 | 38.56 |
| Suriya Patabendige Albert de Silva | | Elephant | 2,565 | 9.17 |
| Yapa Sirisena Rajapaksa | | Hand | 2,265 | 8.10 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 27,476 | 98.23 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 494 | 1.77 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 27,970 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 41,166 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 67.94 |

### 1956 Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 3rd parliamentary election held between 5 April 1956 and 10 April 1956:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| Mahanama Samaraweera | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Hand | 18,571 | 59.83 |
| D. H. Pandita Gunawardene | United National Party | Elephant | 7,342 | 23.65 |
| E. H. P. Gawrapala | | Star | 4,894 | 15.77 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 30,807 | 99.25 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 232 | 0.75 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 31,039 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 47,068 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 65.95 |

### 1960 (March) Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 4th parliamentary election held on 19 March 1960:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| Justin C. Wijayawardhene | United National Party | Elephant | 8,409 | 36.56 |
| Mahanama Samaraweera | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Hand | 6,533 | 28.41 |
| B. Y. Tudawe | Communist Party of Ceylon | Star | 5,702 | 24.79 |
| K. K. de Silva | | Umbrella | 2,151 | 9.35 |
| Dayananda Kumarapperuma | | Eye | 204 | 0.89 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 22,999 | 99.35 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 151 | 0.65 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 23,150 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 30,640 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 75.55 |

### 1960 (July) Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 5th parliamentary election held on 20 July 1960:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| Mahanama Samaraweera | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Hand | 13,105 | 56.0 |
| Justin C. Wijayawardhena | United National Party | Elephant | 10,200 | 43.59 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 23,305 | 99.59 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 96 | 0.41 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 23,401 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 30,640 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 76.37 |

### 1965 Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 6th parliamentary election held on 22 March 1965:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| B. Y. Tudawe | Communist Party of Ceylon | Star | 15,207 | 51.27 |
| Mahanama Samaraweera | | Sun | 14,287 | 48.17 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 29,494 | 99.44 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 167 | 0.56 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 29,661 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 37,399 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 79.31 |

### 1970 Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 7th parliamentary election held on 27 May 1970:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| B. Y. Tudawe | Communist Party of Ceylon | Star | 20,764 | 58.37 |
| S. K. Piyadasa | United National Party | Elephant | 14,580 | 40.98 |
| E. P. Wijethunga | | Bell | 160 | 0.45 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 35,504 | 99.80 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 70 | 0.20 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 35,574 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 41,751 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 85.21 |

### 1977 Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 8th parliamentary election held on 21 July 1977:
| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| S. K. Piyadasa | United National Party | Elephant | 23,222 | 55.96 |
| B. Y. Tudawe | Communist Party of Ceylon | Star | 12,585 | 30.33 |
| Bandula Abeysuriya | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Hand | 4,781 | 11.52 |
| V. P. S. Abeysinghe | | Eye | 623 | 1.50 |
| Nandasiri Hettiarachchi | | Flower | 201 | 0.48 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 41,412 | 99.80 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 84 | 0.20 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 41,496 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 48,354 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 85.82 |