1st State Council of Ceylon


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 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, 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 as Speaker, 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-elections 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:
NameAppointed/
Elected		ConstituencyVotesMajorityTook officeLeft officeNotes
ElectedNuwara Eliya
ElectedUdugama
ElectedMatugama
ElectedVeyangoda--
ElectedKalutaraMinister of Local Administration.
AppointedEuropean
ElectedChilaw
ElectedColombo South
ElectedPanaduraDeputy Speaker and Chairman of Committees.
ElectedPuttalam
ElectedKandy
ElectedMoratuwa
ElectedBalapitiya
ElectedBandarawela
ElectedAnuradhapura
ElectedColombo Central
ElectedNarammala
ElectedGampaha
ElectedKelaniya--Leader of the House. Minister of Home Affairs.
ElectedBalangodaSucceeds Cudah Ratwatte.
ElectedMatale
ElectedGalleMinister of Education.
ElectedBadulla--
ElectedKurunegala
ElectedJaffna
ElectedBatticaloa SouthMinister of Communications and Works.
ElectedRuwanwella
ElectedDedigamaSpeaker.
ElectedKankesanthurai
ElectedAvissawellaDeputy Speaker and Chairman of Committees. Speaker.
ElectedGampolaMinister of Health.
AppointedIndian Tamils--
ElectedHorana
ElectedMatara
ElectedPoint Pedro
ElectedBibile--
ElectedNegombo
ElectedDumbara
ElectedBalangodaResigned due to ill-health. Succeeded by T. G. Jaywardene.
AppointedMalays--
ElectedColombo NorthSucceeds Ratnasothy Saravanamuttu.
ElectedColombo NorthUnseated. Succeeded by Naysum Saravanamuttu.
AppointedBurghers--
AppointedBurghers
ElectedMannar-Mullaitivu
ElectedKayts
ElectedMinuwangoda--Minister of Agriculture and Lands.
Appointed
Appointed
ElectedTrincomalee-BatticaloaDeputy Chairman of Committees.
ElectedHatton--Minister of Labour, Industry and Commerce.
ElectedKatugampola
AppointedEuropean
ElectedTalawakele
ElectedWeligama
ElectedMorawaka
ElectedHambantota
ElectedKegalle
ElectedRatnapura