Deniyaya Electoral District
# Deniyaya Electoral District

Deniyaya electoral district was an electoral district of Sri Lanka between August 1947 and February 1989. The district was named after the town of Deniyaya 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. Deniyaya electoral district was replaced by the Matara multi-member electoral district at the 1989 general elections, the first under the proportional representation system.

## Members of Parliament

Key

Independent SLFP UNP LSSP

| Election | Member | Party | Term |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1947 | V. G. W. Ratnayake | Independent | 1947-1952 |
| 1952 | V. G. W. Ratnayake | United National Party | 1952-1956 |
| 1956 | S. W. D. Ratnayake | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | 1956-1960 |
| 1960 (March) | P. L. Jinadasa | United National Party | 1960 |
| 1960 (July) | S. W. Dahanayake | United National Party | 1960-1965 |
| 1965 | C. N. Kannangara | United National Party | 1965-1970 |
| 1970 | Sumanapala Dahanayake | Lanka Sama Samaja Party | 1970-1977 |
| 1977 | Keerthisena Abeywickrama | United National Party | 1977-1987 |
| 1987 appointment | Keerthilatha Abeywickrama | United National Party | 1987-1989 |

## Elections

### 1947 Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 1st parliamentary election held between 23 August 1947 and 20 September 1947:

| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| V. G. W. Ratnayake | Independent | Pair of Scales | 4,510 | 30.69 |
| D. W. S. Ratnayaka | Independent | Cup | 3,793 | 25.81 |
| Don Roy Rajapakse | Independent | Elephant | 2,938 | 19.99 |
| D. C. Hettige | Independent | Umbrella | 2,282 | 15.53 |
| G. E. Abeynaike | | Hand | 667 | 4.54 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 14,190 | 96.57 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 504 | 3.43 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 14,694 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 29,542 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 49.74 |

### 1952 Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 2nd parliamentary election held between 24 May 1952 and 30 May 1952:

| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| V. G. W. Ratnayake | United National Party | Elephant | 13,808 | 59.52 |
| Edward R. Goonatilleke | Communist Party of Ceylon | Star | 9,174 | 39.55 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 22,982 | 99.07 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 216 | 0.93 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 23,198 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 32,842 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 70.64 |

### 1956 Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 3rd parliamentary election held between 5 April 1956 and 10 April 1956:

| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| S. W. D. Ratnayake | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Hand | 16,170 | 59.54 |
| V. G. W. Ratnayake | United National Party | Elephant | 10,710 | 39.44 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 26,880 | 98.98 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 277 | 1.02 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 27,157 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 39,012 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 69.61 |

### 1960 (March) Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 4th parliamentary election held on 19 March 1960:

| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| P. L. Jinadasa | United National Party | Elephant | 6,555 | 35.64 |
| Charles Nissanka Kannangara | Mahajana Eksath Peramuna | Cartwheel | 5,586 | 30.37 |
| Sumanapala Dahanayake | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Hand | 3,903 | 21.22 |
| Edward R. Goonatilleke | Communist Party of Ceylon | Star | 2,178 | 11.84 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 18,222 | 99.06 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 173 | 0.94 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 18,395 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 23,459 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 78.41 |

P. L. Jinadasa died before he was sworn into office.

### 1960 (July) Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 5th parliamentary election held on 20 July 1960:

| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| S. W. Dahanayake | United National Party | Elephant | 10,254 | 57.78 |
| M. D. Yapa | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Hand | 7,410 | 41.76 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 17,664 | 99.54 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 82 | 0.46 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 17,746 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 23,459 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 75.65 |

### 1965 Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 6th parliamentary election held on 22 March 1965:

| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Charles Nissanka Kannangara | United National Party | Elephant | 13,171 | 53.04 |
| D. S. Wijesekera | Lanka Sama Samaja Party | Key | 11,052 | 44.50 |
| Sepala Ratnayake | Mahajana Eksath Peramuna | Cartwheel | 374 | 1.51 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 24,597 | 99.05 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 237 | 0.95 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 24,834 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 30,474 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 81.49 |

### 1970 Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 7th parliamentary election held on 27 May 1970:

| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Sumanapala Dahanayake | Lanka Sama Samaja Party | Key | 18,760 | 60.62 |
| Charles Nissanka Kannangara | United National Party | Elephant | 12,076 | 39.03 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 30,836 | 99.65 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 107 | 0.35 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 30,943 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 36,444 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 84.91 |

### 1977 Parliamentary General Election

Results of the 8th parliamentary election held on 21 July 1977:

| Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Keerthisena Abeywickrama | United National Party | Elephant | 20,365 | 56.74 |
| Edward R. Goonatilleke | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Hand | 15,032 | 41.88 |
| Hattotuwa Gamage Weerasinghe | Lanka Sama Samaja Party | Key | 390 | 1.09 |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 35,787 | 99.71 |
| Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 103 | 0.29 |
| Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 35,890 | 100.00 |
| Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 40,357 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 88.93 |

Keerthisena Abeywickrama was killed in the 1987 grenade attack in the Sri Lankan Parliament, his seat on parliament was filled by his sister, Keerthilatha Abeywickrama.

