|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
General elections were held in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) in March 1965.
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).
The UNP did not obtain a majority, but was able to govern as a National Front with the ITAK's support.
| Party | Candidates | Votes | % | Seats | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United National Party | 116 | 1,590,929 | 39.31 | 66 | |
| Sri Lanka Freedom Party | 101 | 1,221,437 | 30.18 | 41 | |
| Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi | 20 | 217,914 | 5.38 | 14 | |
| Lanka Sama Samaja Party | 25 | 302,095 | 7.47 | 10 | |
| Sri Lanka Freedom Socialist Party | 32 | 130,429 | 3.22 | 5 | |
| Communist Party of Ceylon | 9 | 109,754 | 2.71 | 4 | |
| All Ceylon Tamil Congress | 15 | 98,746 | 2.44 | 3 | |
| Mahajana Eksath Peramuna | 61 | 96,665 | 2.39 | 1 | |
| National Liberation Front | 10 | 18,791 | 0.46 | 1 | |
| Others | 106 | 259,960 | 6.42 | 6 | |
| Valid Votes | 495 | 4,046,720 | 100.00 | 151 | |
| Rejected Votes | |||||
| Total Votes Polled | |||||
| Total Electors Polled1 | 3,821,918 | ||||
| Registered Electors | 4,710,887 | ||||
| Turnout2 | 81.13% | ||||
| Source: Sri Lanka Statistics 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 Colombo South Electoral District which was uncontested and returned Junius Richard Jayewardene (UNP) and Bernard Soysa (LSSP). |
|||||
|
|||||||||||||||||