1st State Council of Ceylon

1st State Council of Ceylon
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Overview
Legislative bodyState Council of Ceylon
Meeting placeOld Parliament Building
Term7 July 1931 (1931-07-07) – 7 December 1935 (1935-12-07)
Election13–20 June 1931
Government1st Board
Websiteparliament.lk
State Councillors
Members58
SpeakerA. 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 CommitteesM. M. Subramaniam
Leader of the HouseD. B. Jayatilaka
This article is part of a series on the
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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.

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

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]
Godfrey Edward Madawala Elected Narammala 13 June 1931 September 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 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 1934 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. Jayewardene. [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]
Thomas Lister Villiers Appointed 1932 [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

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Rajasingham, K. T. "Chapter 7: State Councils – elections and boycotts". Sri Lanka: The Untold Story.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "First State Council begins". The Sunday Times. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 8 July 2007. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  3. ^ a b c d Arumugam, S. (1997). Dictionary of Biography of the Tamils of Ceylon (PDF). pp. 181–182.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w 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. ^ a b c d e 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. ^ a b 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. ^ a b c d e Dissanayake, T. D. S. A. "Chapter 1: Was early universal franchise a disaster?". War or Peace... Ilankai Tamil Sangam.
  17. ^ a b 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.