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.
No nominations were received in four constituencies in the north of the country due to a boycott organised by the
Jaffna Youth Congress
The Jaffna Youth Congress, was the first of Sri Lanka's Youth Leagues. It was influenced by the Indian Independence Movement, was secular and committed to Poorana Swaraj (Complete Self-Rule), national unity and the eradication of inequalities ...
.
The remaining nine constituencies only had a single nomination each and consequently the candidates were elected without a vote.
The remaining nine constituencies only had a single nomination each and consequently the candidates were elected without a vote.
In addition the Governor nominated eight additional members,
John William Oldfield
Major John William Oldfield (22 October 1886 – 1 December 1955), was a prominent figure in the commercial and public life in Ceylon, serving as the chairman of the Ceylon Planters' Association between 1924 and 1925, an appointed member of ...
,
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
Mylvaganam Mudaliyar Subramaniam ( ta, மயில்வாகனம் முதலியார் சுப்பிரமணியம், translit=Mayilvākaṉam Mutaliyār Cuppiramaṇiyam; c. 1870 – 1945) was a Ceylon Tamil lawyer, poli ...
as
Speaker
Speaker may refer to:
Society and politics
* Speaker (politics), the presiding officer in a legislative assembly
* Public speaker, one who gives a speech or lecture
* A person producing speech: the producer of a given utterance, especially:
** I ...
,
Deputy Speaker and Chairman of Committees and
Deputy Chairman of Committees respectively.
The seven chairman of the State Council's executive committees, who were members of the
Board of Ministers, were also appointed.
The State Council was ceremonially opened on 10 July 1931.
Following the end of the boycott in the north of the country
by-election
A by-election, also known as a special election in the United States and the Philippines, a bye-election in Ireland, a bypoll in India, or a Zimni election (Urdu: ضمنی انتخاب, supplementary election) in Pakistan, is an election used to f ...
s were held in the four constituencies in early July 1934.
The newly elected members entered the state council on 17 July 1934.
Members
Deaths, resignations and removals
The 1st state council saw the following deaths, resignations and removals from office:
*1931:
Ratnasothy Saravanamuttu
Sir Ratnasothy Saravanamuttu ( ta, இரத்தினசோதி சரவணமுத்து; born October 1886) was a Ceylon Tamil physician, politician and the first Mayor of Colombo.
Early life and family
Saravanamuttu was born in Octo ...
(Colombo North) unseated after being found guilty of corrupt practices by an election Judge.
His wife
Naysum was elected in the ensuing by-election.
* September 1931:
Godfrey Edward Madawala (Naramala) died.
W. H. de S. Jayasundara elected at subsequent by-election.
* August 1933:
Cudah Ratwatte (Balangoda) resigned due to ill-health.
T. G. Jayewardene elected at subsequent by-election.
List
References
{{Parliament of Sri Lanka
1931 establishments in Ceylon
1935 disestablishments in Ceylon