title: Dambulla Electoral District
text: # Dambulla Electoral District
  
  Dambulla electoral district was an electoral district of Sri Lanka between August 1947 and February 1989. The district was named after the town of Dambulla in Matale District, Central Province. The 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka introduced the proportional representation electoral system for electing members of Parliament. The existing 160 mainly single-member electoral districts were replaced with 22 multi-member electoral districts. Dambulla electoral district was replaced by the Matale multi-member electoral district at the 1989 general elections, the first under the PR system, though Dambulla continues to be a polling division of the multi-member electoral district.
  
  ## Members of Parliament
  
  Key
  
  Independent SLFP UNP
  
  | Election | Member | Party | Term |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | 1947 | H. B. Tenne | Independent | 1947-1956 |
  | 1952 | H. B. Tenne | Independent | 1947-1956 |
  | 1956 | Tikiri Banda Tennekoon | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | 1956-1977 |
  | 1960 (March) | Tikiri Banda Tennekoon | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | 1956-1977 |
  | 1960 (July) | Tikiri Banda Tennekoon | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | 1956-1977 |
  | 1965 | Tikiri Banda Tennekoon | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | 1956-1977 |
  | 1970 | Tikiri Banda Tennekoon | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | 1956-1977 |
  | 1977 | K. W. R. M. Ekanayake | United National Party | 1977-1989 |
  
  ## Elections
  
  ### 1947 Parliamentary General Election
  
  Results of the 1st parliamentary election held between 23 August 1947 and 20 September 1947:
  
  | Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | H. B. Tenne | Independent | Elephant | 6,846 | 57.46 |
  | Edward de Silva | Communist Party of Sri Lanka | Star | 3,909 | 32.81 |
  | A. G. G. Perera | Lanka Equal Society Party | Key | 861 | 7.23 |
  | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 11,616 | 97.50 |
  | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 298 | 2.50 |
  | Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 11,914 | 100.00 |
  | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 26,388 | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 45.15 |
  
  ### 1952 Parliamentary General Election
  
  Results of the 2nd parliamentary election held between 24 May 1952 and 30 May 1952:
  
  | Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | H. B. Tenne | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Eye | 8,294 | 54.02 |
  | D. B. Ellepola | | Hand | 3,442 | 22.42 |
  | P. B. Ranaraja | | Elephant | 2,897 | 18.87 |
  | T. B. Wegodapola | Communist Party of Sri Lanka | Star | 409 | 2.66 |
  | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 15,042 | 97.97 |
  | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 312 | 2.03 |
  | Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 15,354 | 100.00 |
  | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 30,193 | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 50.85 |
  
  ### 1956 Parliamentary General Election
  
  Results of the 3rd parliamentary election held between 5 April 1956 and 10 April 1956:
  
  | Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Tikiri Banda Tennekoon | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Hand | 14,688 | 71.36 |
  | H. B. Tenne | United National Party | Elephant | 5,533 | 26.88 |
  | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 20,221 | 98.24 |
  | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 363 | 1.76 |
  | Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 20,584 | 100.00 |
  | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 37,345 | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 55.12 |
  
  ### 1960 (March) Parliamentary General Election
  
  Results of the 4th parliamentary election held on 19 March 1960:
  
  | Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Tikiri Banda Tennekoon | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Hand | 10,792 | 62.28 |
  | D. B. Ellepola | United National Party | Elephant | 3,952 | 22.81 |
  | P. V. P. Kulatilleke | Lanka Equal Society Party | Key | 722 | 4.17 |
  | L. D. Banda | | Lamp | 527 | 3.04 |
  | Leslie Kulatunga | | Cockerel | 302 | 1.74 |
  | T. M. Varusavithana | | Umbrella | 296 | 1.71 |
  | H. Ariyasena | | Eye | 231 | 1.33 |
  | G. D. Ranaweera | | Sun | 228 | 1.32 |
  | Upali Kulatunga | Mahajana Eksath Peramuna | Cart Wheel | 105 | 0.61 |
  | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 17,155 | 99.00 |
  | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 173 | 1.00 |
  | Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 17,328 | 100.00 |
  | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 21,416 | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 80.91 |
  
  ### 1960 (July) Parliamentary General Election
  
  Results of the 5th parliamentary election held on 20 July 1960:
  
  | Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Tikiri Banda Tennekoon | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Hand | 11,600 | 68.14 |
  | T. B. Lenadora | United National Party | Elephant | 5,284 | 31.04 |
  | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 16,884 | 99.18 |
  | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 140 | 0.82 |
  | Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 17,024 | 100.00 |
  | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 21,416 | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 79.49 |
  
  ### 1965 Parliamentary General Election
  
  Results of the 6th parliamentary election held on 22 March 1965:
  
  | Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Tikiri Banda Tennekoon | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Hand | 12,482 | 51.37 |
  | K. W. R. M. Ekanayake | United National Party | Elephant | 11,308 | 46.54 |
  | R. K. Nimal Karunaratne | | Sun | 266 | 1.09 |
  | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 24,056 | 99.00 |
  | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 242 | 1.00 |
  | Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 24,298 | 100.00 |
  | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 28,267 | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 85.96 |
  
  ### 1970 Parliamentary General Election
  
  Results of the 7th parliamentary election held on 27 May 1970:
  
  | Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Tikiri Banda Tennekoon | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Hand | 17,010 | 56.22 |
  | K. W. R. M. Ekanayake | United National Party | Elephant | 13,123 | 43.37 |
  | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 30,133 | 99.58 |
  | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 126 | 0.42 |
  | Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 30,259 | 100.00 |
  | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 33,503 | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 90.32 |
  
  ### 1977 Parliamentary General Election
  
  Results of the 8th parliamentary election held on 21 July 1977 for the district:
  
  | Candidate | Party | Symbol | Votes | % |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | K. W. R. M. Ekanayake | | Elephant | 24,793 | 59.28 |
  | Tikiri Banda Tennekoon | | Hand | 15,964 | 38.17 |
  | D. S. Wijewardena | | Key | 745 | 1.78 |
  | T. B. Tennekoon | | Lamp | 183 | 0.44 |
  | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 41,685 | 99.66 |
  | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | Rejected Votes | 142 | 0.34 |
  | Total Polled | Total Polled | Total Polled | 41,827 | 100.00 |
  | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | Registered Electors | 46,052 | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 90.83 |
  