1st State Council of Ceylon
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.
1st State Council of Ceylon | |||
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Overview | |||
Legislative body | State Council of Ceylon | ||
Meeting place | Old Parliament Building | ||
Term | 7 July 1931 – 7 December 1935 | ||
Election | 13–20 June 1931 | ||
Government | 1st Board | ||
Website | parliament | ||
State Councillors | |||
Members | 58 | ||
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 |
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:
- 1931: Ratnasothy Saravanamuttu (Colombo North) unseated after being found guilty of corrupt practices by an election Judge.[3] His wife Naysum was elected in the ensuing by-election.[3]
- August 1933: Cudah Ratwatte (Balangoda) resigned due to ill-health. T. G. Jayewardene elected at subsequent by-election.
List
Name | Appointed/ Elected |
Constituency | Votes | Majority | Took office | Left office | Notes | Refs. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
E. W. Abeygunasekera | Elected | Nuwara Eliya | 6,942 | 3,136 | 1931 | 1935 | [4] | |
H. W. Amarasuriya | Elected | Udugama | 1931 | [5] | ||||
D. D. Athulathmudali | Elected | Matugama | 16 June 1931 | 1935 | [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 | Appointed | European | 8 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 | 9,097 | 13 June 1931 | [9] | |||
H. R. Freeman | Elected | Anuradhapura | 8,311 | 13 June 1931 | [9] | |||
A. E. Goonesinha | Elected | Colombo Central | 13 June 1931 | [1] | ||||
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 1933 | 1935 | Succeeds 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 1934 | 1935 | [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 | 1931 | Speaker (1931–34). | [4] | |||
S. Natesan | Elected | Kankesanthurai | 4 May 1934 | 1935 | [16][18] | |||
F. A. Obeysekera | Elected | Avissawella | 7,424 | 1931 | 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 | 1934 | 1935 | [1][20] | |||
G. C. Rambukpotha | Elected | Bibile | - | - | 1931 | [9] | ||
A. E. Rajapakse | Elected | Negombo | [4] | |||||
Abeyratne Ratnayaka | Elected | Dumbara | [4] | |||||
Cudah Ratwatte | Elected | Balangoda | 1931 | 1 August 1933 | Resigned due to ill-health. Succeeded by T. G. Jaywardene. | [4][11] | ||
M. K. Saldin | Appointed | Malays | - | - | 26 June 1931 | 1935 | [1][21] | |
Naysum Saravanamuttu | Elected | Colombo North | 1931 | Succeeds Ratnasothy Saravanamuttu. | [3] | |||
Ratnasothy Saravanamuttu | Elected | Colombo North | 1931 | 1931 | Unseated. 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 | 1934 | 1935 | [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 | Appointed | 6 November 1934 | [4] | |||||
M. M. Subramaniam | Elected | Trincomalee-Batticaloa | 1931 | 1935 | 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 | 1931 | 1935 | [26] | |||
Evelyn Charles Villiers | Appointed | European | 8 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 | 15,384 | 1931 | [27] | |||
Edwin Wijeyeratne | Elected | Kegalle | 1931 | 1935 | [28] | |||
D. J. Wimalasurendra | Elected | Ratnapura | 1931 | [4] |
References
- Rajasingham, K. T. "Chapter 7: State Councils – elections and boycotts". Sri Lanka: The Untold Story.
- "First State Council begins". The Sunday Times. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 8 July 2007. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
- Arumugam, S. (1997). Dictionary of Biography of the Tamils of Ceylon (PDF). pp. 181–182.
- Ferguson's Ceylon Directory 1933. Colombo, Ceylon: Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited. 1933. pp. 210–211.
- Extracts from 'Nobodies to Somebodies – The Rise of the Colonial Bourgeoisie in Sri Lanka'
- Members of the Legislatures of Ceylon: 1931–1972. National State Assembly Library. 1972. p. 13.
- Wijenayake, Walter (26 September 2008). "S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike- trail-blazing leader". The Island. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
- Goonesinha, Ananda E. (22 April 2007). "Traversed new paths making History". Sunday Island. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
- Munasinghe, M. Sarath K. (31 March 2004). "Political clergymen of the past". The Island. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
- 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.
- Jiggins, Janice (1979). Caste and Family Politics of the Sinhalese 1947–1976. Cambridge University Press. p. 99. ISBN 9780521220699.
- Wijenayaka, Walter (24 September 2003). "C.W.W. Kannangara: Father of free education". Daily News. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
- Fernando, Shemal. "Sir John Lionel Kotelawala". Lanka Library.
- Arumugam, S. (1997). Dictionary of Biography of the Tamils of Ceylon (PDF). pp. 94–95.
- Muttucumaraswamy, V. (1992). Some Eminent Tamils (PDF). Department of Hindu Religious and Cultural Affairs, Sri Lanka. p. 148.
- Dissanayake, T. D. S. A. "Chapter 1: Was early universal franchise a disaster?". War or Peace... Ilankai Tamil Sangam.
- Wijenayake, Walter (20 December 2008). "Lanka Sama Samaja Party, 73 not out". The Island. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
- Arumugam, S. (1997). Dictionary of Biography of the Tamils of Ceylon (PDF). p. 118.
- "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.
- Arumugam, S. (1997). Dictionary of Biography of the Tamils of Ceylon (PDF). p. 141.
- "Sri Lankan Malays Fight For Parliament Representation". Colombo Telegraph. 1 March 2019. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
- Arumugam, S. (1997). Dictionary of Biography of the Tamils of Ceylon (PDF). pp. 188–189.
- Samarasinghe, L. M. (14 November 2002). "Book on "Agriculture and patriotism"". Daily News. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
- Arumugam, S. (1997). Dictionary of Biography of the Tamils of Ceylon (PDF). pp. 212–213.
- Rajasingham, K. T. "Chapter 8: Pan Sinhalese board of ministers – A Sinhalese ploy". Sri Lanka: The Untold Story.
- "Members of the Legislatures of Ceylon: 1931–1972". National State Assembly Library. 1972: 159. Cite journal requires
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(help) - 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.
- Gurudeniya, Thushara (20 October 2007). "An illustrious son of Sabaragamuwa". Daily News. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 27 March 2019.