1947 Ceylonese parliamentary election


General elections were held in Ceylon from 23 August to 20 September 1947. It was the first election overseen and administered by the newly-formed Department of Parliamentary Elections.

Background

This is considered the first national election held in Sri Lanka. Although it took place before independence was actually granted, it was the first election under the Soulbury Constitution.
Some of the major figures who had led the independence struggle were found in the rightwing United National Party led by D.S. Senanayake. In opposition were the Trotskyist Lanka Sama Samaja Party and Bolshevik Leninist Party of India, the Communist Party of Ceylon, the Ceylon Indian Congress and an array of independents.

Results

Senanayake's UNP fell short of a majority, but was able to form a government in coalition with the All Ceylon Tamil Congress, which had taken most of the seats in the Tamil regions.
Sri Lanka obtained full independence as a dominion in 1948. The British nevertheless retained military bases in the country and English remained as the official language along with much of the administrative system put in place by the British along with British officials.
Summary of the 1947 Ceylonese parliamentary election
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