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1977 Sri Lankan parliamentary election

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1977 Sri Lankan parliamentary election

← 1970 21 July 1977 1989 →

All 168 seats in the National State Assembly
85 seats were needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
TULF
Leader J. R. Jayewardene A. Amirthalingam Sirimavo Bandaranaike
Party UNP TULF SLFP
Leader since 1973 1977 1960
Leader's seat Colombo West Kankesanthurai Attanagalla
Last election 37.91%, 17 seats Did not exist 36.86%, 91 seats
Seats won 140 18 8
Seat change Increase 123 New party Decrease 83
Popular vote 3,179,221 421,488 1,855,331
Percentage 50.92% 6.75% 29.72%

Winners of polling divisions. UNP in green, TULF in yellow and SLFP in blue.

Prime Minister before election

Sirimavo Bandaranaike
SLFP

Prime Minister-designate

Junius Richard Jayewardene
UNP

Parliamentary elections were held in Sri Lanka on 21 July 1977. The result was a landslide victory for the United National Party, which won 140 of the 168 seats in the National State Assembly.

Background

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Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike had become extraordinarily unpopular. Her economic policies had led to industrial growth and self-reliance, but were insufficient to overcome unemployment. Constitutionally, she had taken advantage of the 1972 constitution to delay the election until 1977, instead of 1975 as would have been the case under the old Soulbury constitution. The government's strong Sinhala nationalist stance had led to unrest in the Tamil north; in response, an island-wide state of emergency was imposed, causing hardship to many people. The UF coalition Bandaranaike had built for the 1970 elections had disintegrated.

By contrast, the United National Party had made a surprising comeback since its 1970 humiliation. Under the leadership of J.R. Jayewardene it had assiduously built up its ground organization. The UNP promised to solve the ethnic problem with a devolution package. Economically, it proposed opening up the Sri Lankan economy again. Constitutionally, the UNP called for replacing the Westminster-based political system with one modelled along French lines. Most importantly, it promised a free extra ration of eight pounds of cereal (the so-called eta ata), on top of the existing ration of two kilograms of rice.

More portentous was the status of the Tamil parties. The old federalist Tamil parties had merged to form the Tamil United Liberation Front, led by Appapillai Amirthalingam, which had gone beyond regional autonomy to openly call for independence of the Tamil-speaking regions of the country.

Results

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The UNP won the largest landslide in Sri Lankan history, taking over half the vote and 140 of the 168 seats, five-sixths of the legislature. The size of the landslide was magnified by the first-past-the-post system. The SLFP was decimated, falling from 91 seats to only eight–easily the worst defeat that a Sri Lankan governing party has ever suffered, and one of the worst ever suffered by a governing party in a Westminster system.

For the first time, a Tamil party won the second-highest number of seats in Parliament and became the Official Opposition.

Abeyratne Pilapitiya of the UNP was elected MP for Kalawana, but was subsequently unseated in an election petition. Sarath Muttetuwegama of the Communist Party was returned to Parliament in the ensuing by-election.

The 1977 election was the only one ever held under the 1972 constitution.[1] A year later, the UNP-dominated legislature amended the constitution to replace the parliamentary system with a presidential system. Under the provisions of the new document, Prime Minister Jayewardene became president on 4 February 1978.

PartyVotes%Seats
United National Party3,179,22150.92140
Sri Lanka Freedom Party1,855,33129.728
Tamil United Liberation Front421,4886.7518
Lanka Sama Samaja Party225,3173.610
Communist Party of Sri Lanka123,8561.980
Ceylon Workers' Congress62,7071.001
Mahajana Eksath Peramuna22,6390.360
Independents353,0145.651
Total6,243,573100.00168
Registered voters/turnout6,667,589
Source: Kusaka Research Institute

Results by electorate

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Western Province

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Colombo District

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Electorate Name of the Elected Symbol
Colombo North M. Vincent Perera Elephant
Colombo Central R.Premadasa Elephant
Colombo Central M.Jabir A. Cader Eye
Colombo Central M.Haleem Ishak Hand
Borella M.H.Mohomed Elephant
Colombo East A.Edmund Samarawickrema Elephant
Colombo West J.R.Jayewardene Elephant
Dehiwala S. de S. Jayasinghe Elephant
Ratmalana Lalith Athulathmudali Elephant
Kolonnawa Weerasinghe Mallimarachchi Elephant
Kotte Anandatissa de Alwis Elephant
Kaduwela M.D.H. Jayawardana Elephant
Awissawella M.D.Premarathna Elephant
Homagama Gamini Jayasuriya Elephant
Maharagama Premaratne Gunasekera Elephant
Kesbewa Dharmasena Attygalle Elephant
Moratuwa Tyronne Fernando Elephant

Gampaha District

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Electorate Name of the Elected Symbol
Wattala D. Shelton Jayasinghe Elephant
Negambo N. Denzil Fernando Elephant
Katana Wijayapala Mendis Elephant
Divulapitiya Ariyaratne Jayatillake Elephant
Mirigama Mahendra Wijeratne Elephant
Minuwangoda Bennet Gunasekera Elephant
Attanagalla Sirimavo Bandaranaike Hand
Gampaha S. D. Bandaranayake Hand
Ja-ela Joseph Michael Perera Elephant
Mahara Tudor Gunasekara Elephant
Dompe Sarathchandra Rajakaruna Elephant
Biyagama Ranil Wickremasinghe Elephant
Kelaniya Kaluwadewage Cyril Mathew Elephant

Kalutara District

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Electorate Name of the Elected Symbol
Panadura Neville Fernando Elephant
Bandaragama Senaraja Samaranayake Elephant
Horana Indradasa Hettiarachchi Elephant
Bulathsinhala O.S. Perera Elephant
Mathugama Reginold V. Wijegooneratne Elephant
Kalutara V.L.Wijemanne Elephant
Beruwala Abdul Bakeer Markar Elephant
Beruwala R. G. Samaranayake Hand
Agalawatta Merill Kariyawasam Elephant

Central Province

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Matale District

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Electorate Name of the Elected Symbol
Dambulla K.W.R.M.Ekananayake Elephant
Laggala J.G.Wijeratne Banda Elephant
Matale Alick Aluvihare Elephant
Rattota P.B.Kaviratne Elephant

Kandy District

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Electorate Name of the Elected Symbol
Galagedara W.M.G.T. Banda Elephant
Harispattuwa Abdul Cader Shahul Hameed Elephant
Harispattuwa R. Premachandra Wijesiri Umbrella
Pathadumbara T. B. Werapitiya Elephant
Udadumbara R.B. Attanayake Elephant
Teldeniya Gamini Rajapakse Elephant
Kundasale D.M. Chandrapala Elephant
Hewaheta Anura Daniel Elephant
Senkadagala Shelton Ranaraja Elephant
Mahanuwara E.L. Senanayake Elephant
Yatinuwara Sunil Subasiri Abeysundara Elephant
Udunuwara D.B. Wijetunga Elephant
Gampola W.P.B. Dissanayake Elephant

Nuwaraeliya District

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Electorate Name of the Elected Symbol
Navalapitiya Chandradra Karunaratne Elephant
Nuwaraeliya Maskeliya Gamini Dissanayake Elephant
Nuwaraeliya Maskeliya Anura Bandaranaike Hand
Nuwaraeliya Maskeliya S. Thondaman Cockerel
Kothmale Ananda Dassanayake Hand
Hanguranketha George Abeygoonasekera Elephant
Walapane Renuka Herath (Mrs.) Elephant

Southern Province

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Galle District

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Electorate Name of the Elected Symbol
Balapitiya Norman Waidyaratna Elephant
Ambalangoda Raitor Thilakasekara Elephant
Karandeniya Bandulahewa Senadheera Elephant
Bentara-Elpitiya Rupasena Karunatilake Elephant
Hiniduma M.S. Amarasiri Elephant
Baddegama E.D. Wickrematilaka Elephant
Rathgma Edwin Thilakaratne Elephant
Galle Albert de Silva Elephant
Akmeemana Sumanadasa Abeywickrama Elephant
Habaraduwa P. Sumathiratne Elephant

Matara District

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Electorate Name of the Elected Symbol
Deniyaya Keerthisena Abeywickrama Elephant
Hakmana Harshanath Wanigasekara Elephant
Akuressa Dayananda Wickremasinghe Elephant
Kamburupitiya D.E. Malawaraarachchi Elephant
Devinuwara Ronnie de Mel Elephant
Matara S.K. Piyadasa Elephant
Weligama Montague Jayawickrema Elephant

Hambantota District

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Electorate Name of the Elected Symbol
Mulkirigala T.D.Fransisku Elephant
Beliatta Ranjith Atapattu Elephant
Tangalle Jinadasa Weerasinghe Elephant
Tissamaharama P.M.B. Cyril Elephant

Northern Province

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Jaffna District

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Electorate Name of the Elected Symbol
Kayts K.P. Ratnam Sun
Vaddukkodai T. Thirunavukarasu Sun
Kankesanthurai A. Amirthalingam Sun
Manipay V. Dharmalingam Sun
Kopai S. Kathiravelupillai Sun
Udduppidi T. Rasalingam Sun
Point-Pedro K. Thurairatnam Sun
Chavakachcheri V.N. Navaratnam Sun
Nallur M. Sivasithamparam Sun
Jaffna V. Yogeswaran Sun

Vanni District

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Electorate Name of the Elected Symbol
Kilinochchi V. Anandasangary Sun
Mannar P.S. Soosaithasan Sun
Mulativu X.M.Sellathambu Sun
Vavuniya T. Sivasithamparam Sun

Eastern Province

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Trincomalee District

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Electorate Name of the Elected Symbol
Seruvila H.D.L. Leelaratne Elephant
Mutur M.E.H. Maharoof Elephant
Trincomalee R. Sampathan Sun

Batticalao District

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Electorate Name of the Elected Symbol
Kalkudah K.W. Devanayagam Elephant
Batticaloa C.Rajadurai & Farid Meeralebbai Sun/Elephant
Paddiruppu P. Ganeshalingam Sun

Ampara District

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Electorate Name of the Elected Symbol
Ampara P. Dayaratna Elephant
Sammanthurai M. A. Abdul Majeed Elephant
Kalmunai Abdul Rasak Mansoor Elephant
Potuvil M.A.M. Jalaldeen & C.Kanagaratnam Elephant/Sun

North Western Province

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Puttalam District

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Electorate Name of the Elected Symbol
Puttalam M.H.M. Neina Marikkar Elephant
Anamaduwa Saddhatissa Wadigamangawa Hand
Chilaw Harindra Corea Elephant
Nattandiya Harold Herath Elephant
Wennappuwa Festus Perera Elephant

Kurunegala District

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Electorate Name of the Elected Symbol
Galgamuwa H.M.A. Lokubanda Elephant
Nikaweratiya H.B. Wanninayake Elephant
Yapahuwa H.B. Abeyratne Elephant
Hiriyala S.B. Herath Elephant
Wariyapola Amara Piyaseeli Ratnayake Elephant
Panduwasnuwara Kalubanda Ratnayake Elephant
Bingiriya J.L. Sirisena Elephant
Katugampola Gamini Jayawickrama Perera Elephant
Kuliyapitiya Lionel Jayatillake Elephant
Dambadeniya Ukkubanda Wijekoon Elephant
Polgahawela J.A.D.S. R. Jayakody Elephant
Kurunegala Dingiri Banda Welagedera Elephant
Mawathagama G.M. Premachandra Elephant
Dodangaslanda S.W. Alawatuwala Elephant

North Central Province

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Anuradapura District

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Electorate Name of the Elected Symbol
Medawachchiya Maithripala Senanayake Hand
Horoupothana E.L.B.Hurulle Elephant
Anuradhapura East W.Y. Herath Elephant
Anuradhapura West K.D.M.C. Bandara Elephant
Kalawewa A.M.S. Adikari Elephant
Mihintale Dayaratne Walagambahu Elephant
Kekirawa G.D. Mahindsoma Elephant

Polonnaruwa District

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Electorate Name of the Elected Symbol
Minneriya Merril de Silva Elephant
Medirigiriya A.D.B. Ekanayake Elephant
Polonnaruwa H.G.P. Nelson

Uva Province

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Badulla District

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Electorate Name of the Elected Symbol
Mahiyangana C.P.J.Seneviratne Elephant
Viyaluwa Weerawanni Samaraweera Elephant
Passara W.M. Karunaratne Elephant
Badulla D. Vincent Dias Elephant
Hali-ela R.M. Abeykoon Elephant
Uva-paranagama R.M. Karunaratne Elephant
Welimada Percy Samaraweera Elephant
Bandarawela R.M.Apphamy Elephant
Haputale W.J.M.Lokubandara Elephant

Monaragala District

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Electorate Name of the Elected Symbol
Bibile R.M.Dharmadasa Banda Elephant
Moneragala R.M. Punchi Bandara Elephant
Wellawaya J.M. Kumaradasa Elephant

Sabaragamuwa Province

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Kegalle District

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Electorate Name of the Elected Symbol
Dedigama Nissanka Parakrama Wijayaratne Elephant
Galigamuwa Wimala Kannangara (Mrs.) Elephant
Kegalle N.A. Seneviratne Elephant
Rambukkana Asoka Karunaratne Elephant
Mawanella C.R. Beligammana Elephant
Aranayaka Wasantha Udayaratne Elephant
Yatiyantota K. Vincent Perera Elephant
Ruwanwella P.C. Imbulana Elephant
Deraniyagala A.K.D. Wanigaratne Elephant

Ratnapura District

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Electorate Name of the Elected Symbol
Ehaliyagoda Mervyn Kularatne Elephant
Ratnapura G.V. Punchinilame Elephant
Pelmadulla Chandrasekera Gankanda Elephant
Balangoda M.L.M.Aboosally Elephant
Rakwana H. Kularatne Elephant
Nivitigala Gamini Athukorale Elephant
Kalawana Abeyratna Pilapitiya Elephant
Kolonna Caluwadewage Nanda Mathew Elephant

[2]

Violence

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Post-poll violence killed 34 people between 22 and 25 July 1977.[3]

Notes

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References

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  1. ^ 1977 Parliamentary Elections Results[permanent dead link]. Official Website, Department of Elections, Sri Lanka.
  2. ^ 1977 Parliamentary Elections Results[permanent dead link]. Official Website, Department of Elections, Sri Lanka.
  3. ^ "Ceylon/Sri Lanka (1948-Present)". University of Central Arkansas Department of Political Science. University of Central Arkansas. Retrieved May 3, 2024.