1st State Council of Ceylon

Last updated

1st State Council of Ceylon
2nd
Old Parliament Building Colombo.jpg
Overview
Legislative body State Council of Ceylon
Meeting place Old Parliament Building
Term7 July 1931 (1931-07-07) – 7 December 1935 (1935-12-07)
Election 13–20 June 1931
Government 1st Board
Website parliament.lk
State Councillors
Members58
Speaker A. F. Molamure (1931–34)
F. A. Obeysekera (1934–35)
Deputy Speaker and
Chairman of Committees
F. A. Obeysekera (1931–34)
Susantha de Fonseka (1934–35)
Deputy Chairman of Committees M. M. Subramaniam
Leader of the House D. B. Jayatilaka

The 1st State Council of Ceylon was a meeting of the State Council of Ceylon, with the membership determined by the results of the 1931 state council election held between 13 and 20 June 1931. The parliament met for the first time on 7 July 1931 and was dissolved on 7 December 1935.

Contents

Election

The 1st state council election was held between 13 and 20 June 1931 in 37 of the 50 constituencies. [1] No nominations were received in four constituencies in the north of the country due to a boycott organised by the Jaffna Youth Congress. [1] The remaining nine constituencies only had a single nomination each and consequently the candidates were elected without a vote. [1] The remaining nine constituencies only had a single nomination each and consequently the candidates were elected without a vote. [1] In addition the Governor nominated eight additional members, John William Oldfield, Maurice John Cary, I. X. Pereira, M. K. Saldin, V. R. S. Schokman, Evelyn Charles Villiers, Thomas Lister Villiers and Stewart Schneider.

The new state council met for the first time on 7 July 1931 and elected A. F. Molamure, F. A. Obeysekera and M. M. Subramaniam as Speaker, Deputy Speaker and Chairman of Committees and Deputy Chairman of Committees respectively. [2] The seven chairman of the State Council's executive committees, who were members of the Board of Ministers, were also appointed. [2] The State Council was ceremonially opened on 10 July 1931. [2]

Following the end of the boycott in the north of the country by-elections were held in the four constituencies in early July 1934. [1] The newly elected members entered the state council on 17 July 1934. [1]

Members

Deaths, resignations and removals

The 1st state council saw the following deaths, resignations and removals from office:

List

NameAppointed/
Elected
ConstituencyVotesMajorityTook officeLeft officeNotesRefs.
E. W. Abeygunasekera Elected Nuwara Eliya 6,9423,13619311935 [4]
H. W. Amarasuriya Elected Udugama 1931 [5]
D. D. Athulathmudali Elected Matugama 16 June 19311935 [6]
S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike Elected Veyangoda --4 May 1931 [7]
Charles Batuwantudawe Elected Kalutara 1931 Minister of Local Administration (1931–35). [4]
Maurice John Cary AppointedEuropean8 October 1935 [4]
Claude Corea Elected Chilaw 20 June 1931 [4]
S. W. Dassenaike Elected Colombo South 1931 [8]
Susantha de Fonseka Elected Panadura 20 June 1931 Deputy Speaker and Chairman of Committees (1934–35). [4]
Henry De Mel Elected Puttalam 18 June 1931 [4]
George E. de Silva Elected Kandy 20 June 1931 [4]
W. A. de Silva Elected Moratuwa 17 June 1931 [2]
G. R. de Zoysa Elected Balapitiya 21 September 1935 [4]
A. Fellowes-Gordon Elected Bandarawela 9,09713 June 1931 [9]
H. R. Freeman Elected Anuradhapura 8,31113 June 1931 [9]
A. E. Goonesinha Elected Colombo Central 13 June 1931 [1]
Godfrey Edward Madawala Elected Narammala 13 June 1931September 1932
W. H. de S. Jayasundara Elected Narammala 14 January 1933 [4]
D. P. Jayasuriya Elected Gampaha 13 June 1931 [4]
D. B. Jayatilaka Elected Kelaniya --1931 Leader of the House (1931–35). Minister of Home Affairs (1931–35). [10]
T. G. Jayewardene Elected Balangoda 14 October 19331935Succeeds Cudah Ratwatte. [11]
W. T. B. Karaliadda Elected Matale 12 June 1931 [2]
C. W. W. Kannangara Elected Galle 1931 Minister of Education (1931–35). [12]
D. H. Kotelawala Elected Badulla --4 May 1931 [9]
John Kotelawala Elected Kurunegala 13 June 1931 [13]
Arunachalam Mahadeva Elected Jaffna 9 July 19341935 [1] [14] [15]
A. H. Macan Markar Elected Batticaloa South 1931 Minister of Communications and Works (1931–35). [16]
Adeline Molamure Elected Ruwanwella 14 November 1931 [17]
A. F. Molamure Elected Dedigama 19311934 Speaker (1931–34). [4]
S. Natesan Elected Kankesanthurai 4 May 19341935 [16] [18]
F. A. Obeysekera Elected Avissawella 7,4241931 Deputy Speaker and Chairman of Committees (1931–34). Speaker (1934–35). [9]
T. B. Panabokke Elected Gampola 1931 Minister of Health (1931–35). [4]
I. X. Pereira Appointed Indian Tamils --26 June 1931 [1]
E. W. Perera Elected Horana 1931 [19]
G. K. W. Perera Elected Matara [4]
G. G. Ponnambalam Elected Point Pedro 19341935 [1] [20]
G. C. Rambukpotha Elected Bibile --1931 [9]
A. E. Rajapakse Elected Negombo [4]
Abeyratne Ratnayaka Elected Dumbara [4]
Cudah Ratwatte Elected Balangoda 19311 August 1933Resigned due to ill-health. Succeeded by T. G. Jayewardene. [4] [11]
M. K. Saldin Appointed Malays --26 June 19311935 [1] [21]
Naysum Saravanamuttu Elected Colombo North 1931Succeeds Ratnasothy Saravanamuttu. [3]
Ratnasothy Saravanamuttu Elected Colombo North 19311931Unseated. Succeeded by Naysum Saravanamuttu. [3] [16]
Stewart Schneider Appointed Burghers --26 June 1931 [2]
V. R. S. Schokman Appointed Burghers 26 June 1931 [4]
M. A. Seemanpillai Elected Mannar-Mullaitivu 1931 [1] [16]
Nevins Selvadurai Elected Kayts 19341935 [1] [16] [22]
D. S. Senanayake Elected Minuwangoda --1931 Minister of Agriculture and Lands (1931–35). [23]
G. K. Stewart Appointed [4]
D. C. Stewart-Smith Appointed6 November 1934 [4]
Thomas Lister Villiers Appointed1932 [4]
M. M. Subramaniam Elected Trincomalee-Batticaloa 19311935 Deputy Chairman of Committees (1931–35). [1] [24]
Peri Sundaram Elected Hatton --1931 Minister of Labour, Industry and Commerce (1931–35). [25]
R. S. Tennekoon Elected Katugampola 19311935 [26]
Evelyn Charles Villiers AppointedEuropean8 January 1935 [4]
S. P. Vythilingam Elected Talawakele 1931 [1]
David Wanigasekera Elected Weligama [4]
S. A. Wickremasinghe Elected Morawaka 1931 [17]
V. S. de S. Wikramanayake Elected Hambantota 15,3841931 [27]
Edwin Wijeyeratne Elected Kegalle 19311935 [28]
D. J. Wimalasurendra Elected Ratnapura 1931 [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">G. G. Ponnambalam</span> Sri Lankan Tamil politician (1901–1977)

Ganapathipillai Gangaser Ponnambalam was a Ceylon Tamil lawyer, politician and cabinet minister. He was the founder and leader of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC), the first political party to represent the Ceylon Tamils.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">S. J. V. Chelvanayakam</span> Sri Lankan politician (1898–1977)

Samuel James Veluppillai Chelvanayakam was a Ceylonese lawyer, politician and Member of Parliament. He was the founder and leader of the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) and Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) and a political leader of the Ceylon Tamil community for more than two decades. Chelvanayakam has been described as a father figure to Ceylon's Tamils, to whom he was known as "Thanthai Chelva".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">V. Yogeswaran</span> Sri Lankan Tamil lawyer, politician and Member of Parliament

Vettivelu Yogeswaran was a Sri Lankan Tamil lawyer, politician and Member of Parliament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ponnambalam Ramanathan</span> Ceylon lawyer and politician

Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan, was a Ceylon lawyer and politician who served as Solicitor-General of Ceylon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">S. Natesan</span> Ceylonese politician

Subaiya Natesan was a Ceylonese politician, Member of State Council, Member of Parliament and senator.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">V. N. Navaratnam</span> Sri Lankan Tamil politician

Vallipuram Nallathamby Navaratnam was a Sri Lankan Tamil lawyer, politician and Member of Parliament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arunachalam Mahadeva</span> Ceylon Tamil lawyer, politician and diplomat

Arunachalam Mahadeva, KCMG was a Ceylon Tamil lawyer, politician and diplomat. He served as Minister of Home Affairs (1942-1946) and High Commissioner to India (1948-1949).

The fourth election to the Legislative Council of Ceylon was held in 1924.

The third election to the Legislative Council of Ceylon was held on 21 April 1921.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">K. P. Ratnam</span> Sri Lankan Tamil academic and politician

Kaarthigesar Ponnambalam Ratnam was a Sri Lankan Tamil academic, politician and Member of Parliament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">C. Suntharalingam</span> Ceylon Tamil academic and politician

Chellappah Suntharalingam was a Sri Lankan Tamil academic, politician, Member of Parliament and government minister.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">T. Sivasithamparam</span> Sri Lankan Tamil politician and Member of Parliament

Thamotharampillai Sivasithamparam was a Sri Lankan Tamil politician and Member of Parliament.

Arumugam Murugesu Alalasundaram was an assassinated Sri Lankan Tamil teacher, politician and Member of Parliament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waithilingam Duraiswamy</span> Ceylon Tamil lawyer and politician

Sir Waithilingam Duraiswamy was a Ceylon Tamil lawyer, politician and speaker of the State Council of Ceylon.

Velupillai Kumaraswamy was a Ceylon Tamil lawyer, politician and Member of Parliament.

Mylvaganam Mudaliyar Subramaniam was a Ceylon Tamil lawyer, politician and member of the Legislative Council of Ceylon and State Council of Ceylon.

Emmanuel Rasanayagam Tambimuttu was a Ceylon Tamil lawyer, politician and member of the Legislative Council of Ceylon and State Council of Ceylon.

Sinnakutty Odayar Canagaratnam was a Ceylon Tamil civil servant, politician and member of the State Council of Ceylon.

Ratnasabapathy Sri Pathmanathan was a Ceylon Tamil barrister-at-law, politician and member of the State Council of Ceylon.

Jaganathan Tyagaraja was a Ceylon Tamil barrister, politician and member of the State Council of Ceylon.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Rajasingham, K. T. "Chapter 7: State Councils – elections and boycotts". Sri Lanka: The Untold Story.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "First State Council begins". The Sunday Times . Colombo, Sri Lanka. 8 July 2007. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Arumugam, S. (1997). Dictionary of Biography of the Tamils of Ceylon (PDF). pp. 181–182.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Ferguson's Ceylon Directory 1933. Colombo, Ceylon: Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited. 1933. pp. 210–211.
  5. Extracts from 'Nobodies to Somebodies – The Rise of the Colonial Bourgeoisie in Sri Lanka'
  6. Members of the Legislatures of Ceylon: 1931–1972. National State Assembly Library. 1972. p. 13.
  7. Wijenayake, Walter (26 September 2008). "S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike- trail-blazing leader". The Island . Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  8. Goonesinha, Ananda E. (22 April 2007). "Traversed new paths making History". Sunday Island . Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 Munasinghe, M. Sarath K. (31 March 2004). "Political clergymen of the past". The Island . Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  10. Jayaweera, Stanley (18 July 2001). "Dharmaraja College Founder's Day Oration: Sir Don Baron Jayatilaka — a great legacy". The Island . Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  11. 1 2 Jiggins, Janice (1979). Caste and Family Politics of the Sinhalese 1947–1976. Cambridge University Press. p. 99. ISBN   9780521220699.
  12. Wijenayaka, Walter (24 September 2003). "C.W.W. Kannangara: Father of free education". Daily News . Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  13. Fernando, Shemal. "Sir John Lionel Kotelawala". Lanka Library.
  14. Arumugam, S. (1997). Dictionary of Biography of the Tamils of Ceylon (PDF). pp. 94–95.
  15. Muttucumaraswamy, V. (1992). Some Eminent Tamils (PDF). Department of Hindu Religious and Cultural Affairs, Sri Lanka. p. 148.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 Dissanayake, T. D. S. A. "Chapter 1: Was early universal franchise a disaster?". War or Peace... Ilankai Tamil Sangam.
  17. 1 2 Wijenayake, Walter (20 December 2008). "Lanka Sama Samaja Party, 73 not out". The Island . Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  18. Arumugam, S. (1997). Dictionary of Biography of the Tamils of Ceylon (PDF). p. 118.
  19. "Gaveshaka begins a new series on patriots of Sri Lanka: Vital document hidden in a shoe". The Sunday Times . Colombo, Sri Lanka. 25 January 2004. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  20. Arumugam, S. (1997). Dictionary of Biography of the Tamils of Ceylon (PDF). p. 141.
  21. "Sri Lankan Malays Fight For Parliament Representation". Colombo Telegraph. 1 March 2019. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  22. Arumugam, S. (1997). Dictionary of Biography of the Tamils of Ceylon (PDF). pp. 188–189.
  23. Samarasinghe, L. M. (14 November 2002). "Book on "Agriculture and patriotism"". Daily News . Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  24. Arumugam, S. (1997). Dictionary of Biography of the Tamils of Ceylon (PDF). pp. 212–213.
  25. Rajasingham, K. T. "Chapter 8: Pan Sinhalese board of ministers – A Sinhalese ploy". Sri Lanka: The Untold Story.
  26. Members of the Legislatures of Ceylon: 1931–1972. National State Assembly Library. 1972. p. 159.
  27. Wijesinghe, Sam (25 December 2005). "D. A. Rajapaksa Memorial Oration delivered by Sam Wijesinghe: People and State Power". Sunday Observer . Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  28. Gurudeniya, Thushara (20 October 2007). "An illustrious son of Sabaragamuwa". Daily News . Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 27 March 2019.