Parliamentary elections were held in Sudan on 15 November 1948.[1]
Background
Constitutional reforms in 1948 replaced the appointed Advisory Council with a Legislative Assembly.[2] The new Assembly had 75 members, of which 10 were appointed by the Governor-General, 42 elected by electoral colleges in northern provinces, 13 nominated by the provincial councils in the three southern provinces and 10 directly-elected in Khartoum and Omdurman.[1]
Campaign
The elections were boycotted by pro-Egyptian parties such as the National Front, leaving only the Umma Party and the Independence Front (which opposed union with Egypt) to contest the elections.[1][3] Demonstrations led to the deaths of 10 deaths and 100 injured.[1]
Results
The Umma Party won 26 seats and the Independence Front four. Most of the remaining 44 members had been elected due to the influence of officials and sheikhs.[4] Voter turnout in the directly-elected seats was only 18%.[1]
Aftermath
The newly-elected Legislative Assembly met for the first time on 15 December 1948. The Umma Party's Abdallah Khalil was elected Speaker.[4]
