1965 Ceylonese parliamentary election

Last updated
1965 Ceylonese parliamentary election
Flag of Sri Lanka.svg
  July 1960 22 March 1965 1970  

151 seats in the House of Representatives of Ceylon
76 seats were needed for a majority
 First partySecond party
  Dudley Shelton Senanayaka (1911-1973).jpg Sirimavo Bandaranaike, Prime Minister of Ceylon 1960 (cropped).PNG
Leader Dudley Senanayake Sirimavo Bandaranaike
Party UNP SLFP
Leader since19571960
Leader's seat Dedigama Attanagalla
Last election37.19%, 30 seats33.22%, 75 seats
Seats won6641
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 36Decrease2.svg 34
Popular vote1,590,9291,221,437
Percentage39.31%30.18%
SwingIncrease2.svg 2.12ppDecrease2.svg 3.04

Prime Minister before election

Sirimavo Bandaranaike
SLFP

Prime Minister-designate

Dudley Senanayake
UNP

Parliamentary elections were held in Ceylon in March 1965.

Contents

Background

The SLFP government of Sirimavo Bandaranaike lost its majority in December 1964 when some MPs deserted it over the nationalization of Lakehouse Newspapers.

Bandaranaike's program of extensive nationalization had alarmed many of the island's business interests, which rallied to the United National Party. The economy had been stagnant, and rationing had been imposed in the face of persistent food shortages.

The UNP promised to form a "National Front" government to oppose the SLFP and its Marxist allies. UNP leader Dudley Senanayake promised cabinet posts both to smaller Sinhalese nationalist parties and the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi.

Results

The UNP did not obtain a majority, but was able to govern as a National Front with the ITAK's support.

PartyVotes%Seats
United National Party 1,590,92939.3166
Sri Lanka Freedom Party 1,221,43730.1841
Lanka Sama Samaja Party 302,0957.4710
Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi 217,9145.3814
Sri Lanka Freedom Socialist Party 130,4293.225
Communist Party of Ceylon 109,7542.714
All Ceylon Tamil Congress 98,7462.443
Mahajana Eksath Peramuna 96,6652.391
National Liberation Front 18,7910.461
Others259,9606.426
Total4,046,720100.00151
Total votes3,821,918
Registered voters/turnout4,710,88781.13
Source: Kusaka Research Institute

Notes

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