1965 Ceylonese parliamentary election

General elections were held in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) in March 1965.

6th Ceylonese parliamentary election
22 March 1965
151 seats to the House of Representatives of Ceylon
76 seats were needed for a majority
  First party Second party
 
Leader Dudley Senanayake Sirimavo Bandaranaike
Party United National Party Sri Lanka Freedom Party
Leader since 1957 1960
Leader's seat Dedigama Attanagalla
Last election 30 Seats, 37.19% 75 Seats, 33.22%
Seats won 66 41
Seat change 36 34
Popular vote 1,590,929 1,221,437
Percentage 39.31% 30.18%
Prime Minister before election

Sirimavo Bandaranaike
Sri Lanka Freedom Party

 Prime Minister-designate

Dudley Senanayake
United National Party

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 the small Sinhala nationalist parties and the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (Federal Party).

Results

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

Summary of the 1965 Ceylonese parliamentary election[1]

 
PartyCandidatesVotes%Seats
 United National Party1161,590,92939.31%66
 Sri Lanka Freedom Party1011,221,43730.18%41
 Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi20217,9145.38%14
 Lanka Sama Samaja Party25302,0957.47%10
 Sri Lanka Freedom Socialist Party32130,4293.22%5
 Communist Party of Ceylon9109,7542.71%4
 All Ceylon Tamil Congress1598,7462.44%3
 Mahajana Eksath Peramuna6196,6652.39%1
 National Liberation Front1018,7910.46%1
Others106259,9606.42%6
Valid Votes4954,046,720100.00%151
Rejected Votes
Total Votes Polled
Total Electors Polled[lower-alpha 1]3,821,918
Registered Electors4,710,887
Turnout[lower-alpha 2]81.13%

Notes
  1. Total electors polled is less than total votes polled due to multiple-member seats where electors can cast more than one vote.
  2. Actual turnout was slightly higher due to J. R. Jayewardene (UNP) and Bernard Soysa (LSSP) being elected from Colombo South Electoral District without a contest.
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References
  1. "Table 36 Parliament Election (1965)". Sri Lanka Statistics. 10 February 2009.
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