1965 Ceylonese parliamentary election

Parliamentary elections were held in Ceylon in March 1965.

1965 Ceylonese parliamentary election

← July 1960 22 March 1965 1970 →
151 seats in the House of Representatives of Ceylon 76 seats were needed for a majority
First party Second party   Leader Dudley Senanayake Sirimavo Bandaranaike Party UNP SLFP Leader since 1957 1960 Leader's seat Dedigama Attanagalla Last election 37.19%, 30 seats 33.22%, 75 seats Seats won 66 41 Seat change 36 34 Popular vote 1,590,929 1,221,437 Percentage 39.31% 30.18% Swing 2.12pp 3.04
Prime Minister before election Sirimavo Bandaranaike SLFP Prime Minister-designate Dudley Senanayake UNP

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 smaller Sinhalese nationalist parties and the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi.

Results

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

Party		Votes	%	Seats
	United National Party	1,590,929	39.31	66
	Sri Lanka Freedom Party	1,221,437	30.18	41
	Lanka Sama Samaja Party	302,095	7.47	10
	Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi	217,914	5.38	14
	Sri Lanka Freedom Socialist Party	130,429	3.22	5
	Communist Party of Ceylon	109,754	2.71	4
	All Ceylon Tamil Congress	98,746	2.44	3
	Mahajana Eksath Peramuna	96,665	2.39	1
	National Liberation Front	18,791	0.46	1
	Others	259,960	6.42	6
Total		4,046,720	100.00	151
Total votes		3,821,918	–
Registered voters/turnout		4,710,887	81.13
Source: Kusaka Research Institute

Notes