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Charles Percival de Silva (16 April 1912 – 9 October 1972) was a Sri Lankan politician and civil servant. He had served as the Minister of Finance, Minister of Lands, Land Development and Agriculture; and Minister of Power and Irrigation, and Chairperson of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, and later joined as a senior member of the United National Party.

Born in the southern town of Balapitiya, he was educated at St Thomas' College, Mt. Lavinia and studied mathematics at the Ceylon University College and the University of London. Joining the prestigious Ceylon Civil Service, he served as an Assistant Government Agent in the North Central Province, assisting D. S. Senanayake in his agricultural projects in the province and served as Director of Land Development, in the Ministry of Agriculture under Dudley Senanayake, who succeed his father as Minister of Agriculture when the latter became the first prime minister of Ceylon. Falling-out with the younger Senanayake, C. P. de Silva resigned from the civil service.

Entering politics from the newly formed Sri Lanka Freedom Party, he played a major role in S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike's landslide victory in the 1956 general elections and became the top cabinet minister. He missed the opportunity to succeed Bandaranaike as prime minister, when the latter was assassinated in 1959 as he himself was in London recovering from a suspect poisoning. Returning to Ceylon he took over the leadership of the Freedom Party, but failed to unite its different fractions and served as the opposition leader for a brief period, before engineering the defeat of the United National Party government led by Dudley Senanayake. But his bid to form a government failed as the Governor General called for fresh elections.

He succeeded in establishing Bandaranaike's widow, Sirima Bandaranaike as the party leader and gaining the party a major victory in the 1960 July general elections. Having been sidelined by Sirima Bandaranaike and her loyalists on caste lines, in December 1964 he led thirteen Freedom Party politicians to cross over to the opposition and defeating the government in parliament resulting in fresh elections which the United National Party won with the support of his new party, the Sri Lanka Freedom Socialist Party and became a minister in the national government that followed. A strong advocate of agriculture and rural development, he played a major role in many of the large agricultural development projects in the North Central Province. He lost his seat in the 1970 general election, after having served in parliament for eighteen consecutive years.

Early life and education

Born in Randombe, Balapitiya to C. R. de Silva, a proctor with a civil practice in Balapitiya and Galle; and Obinamuni Adlin de Silva, he had three brothers and two sisters. His brother A. H. de Silva took over their father's practice and was elected to parliament along with another brother Merril de Silva. His sister Gladys married R. T. de Silva and the other sister Stella became a pediatrician. His brother Dr. L. B. de Silva was a researcher attached to the Medical Research Institute. He was a cousin of socialist politician and renowned lawyer Colvin R. de Silva.

He was educated at Dharmasoka College, Ambalangoda and St Thomas' College, Mt. Lavinia, where he won the Gregory Scholarship, the Miller Award and became head boy. Thereafter he attended the Ceylon University College where he gained a B.Sc. in Mathematics (first Class) in 1933. He thereafter attended University of London for postgraduate studies.

Civil service

Having sat for the Ceylon Civil Service (CCS) entrance exam in the United Kingdom, de Silva was admitted in 1935 and on his return to the island was appointed as a cadet in the Jaffna Kachcheri. At aged 23, he was one of the youngest to gain admission to the CCS. Following his completion of training as a cadet, he was appointed as the Assistant Government Agent (AGA) in Puttalam. He was then selected by D. S. Senanayake, Minister of Agriculture to serve as AGA of the Polonnaruwa District in order to carry forward his agricultural projects in the district. In Polonnaruwa, de Silva served under Richard Aluvihare and played a major role in establishing the Minneriya Colonisation Scheme. Thereafter he was posted as Assistant Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture, assisting Senanayake in his agricultural programs. He was then posted as Assistant Government Agent of the Anuradhapura District. In 1945 he was an Assistant Land Commissioner and in 1949 he was promoted to the post of Director of Land Development, under the then Minister of Agriculture, Dudley Senanayake, who was a contemporary at St Thomas' College, having been two years his senior. However, after a falling out with Dudley Senanayake, he was appointed Assistant Government Agent of the Kalutara District. He resigned shortly thereafter from the Civil Service and retired to his farm in Tabbowa in the Puttalam District becoming a gentleman farmer.

Political career

Sri Lanka Freedom Party

Member of parliament

C. P. de Silva was brought into active politics by Herbert Sri Nissanka, who was the secretary of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party. He contested in the general elections in 1952 and was elected to parliament from Polonnaruwa from the Sri Lanka Freedom Party defeating the incumbent P. L. Bauddhasara.

Cabinet Minister and Leader of the House

He was re-elected in the 1956 general elections and was appointed leader of the house in parliament by S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike who then appointed him to his cabinet as the Minister of Lands, Land Development and Agriculture. In the Bandaranaike cabinet, C. P. de Silva emerged as the most senior member after Bandaranaike and served as acting prime minister during the absence of the latter. In 1957, he personally drove a bulldozer to safely breach the Minneriya tank during the 1957 floods.

He became severely ill at a cabinet meeting on 25 August 1959 after consuming a glass of milk and was flown to the United Kingdom for medical treatment. During his absence Bandaranaike was assassinated on 26 September 1959 and Wijeyananda Dahanayake, who was the acting leader of the house was appointed as prime minister by the Governor General. De Silva returned to the island soon after and was appointed as Minister of Agriculture and Lands in the caretaker cabinet. On 12 December the Freedom Party met and elected De Silva as the new president of the party succeeding Bandaranaike. Thereafter the party executive committee authorized him to request the Governor General to remove Dahanayake and replace him with De Silva as the prime minister of the caretaker government. The Governor General acknowledged receipt of the request but did not act on it. Soon after De Silva resigned from his cabinet ministry.

Leader of the Opposition

Although not fully recovered, he became the leader of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and led the party in the 1960 March general elections. Weakened by inter-party rivalries, the Freedom Party was able to gain 46 seats while the United National Party led by Dudley Senanayake gained 50 seats and formed a minority government which lasted only three months. He became the Leader of the Opposition. The government lost the throne speech and Senanayake resigned advising the Governor General to dissolve parliament and call for fresh elections. C. P. de Silva, met the Governor General, Sir Oliver Goonetilleke and stated that he could form a government. Sir Oliver Goonetilleke did not accept de Silva's offer and dissolved the parliament.

Minister of Power and Irrigation

Sri Lanka Freedom Party selected Bandaranaike's widow, Sirima Bandaranaike as the party leader for the 1960 July general elections. The party won the election and formed a government, with Sirima Bandaranaike becoming the first woman prime minister in the world. C. P. de Silva was appointed the Minister of Power and Irrigation, and leader of the house, once again serving as the senior member of the cabinet until he was surpassed by the Prime Minister's nephew, Felix Dias Bandaranaike who soon became the prominent figure in the government. C. P. de Silva was soon sidelined by the Bandaranaikes based on caste issues. He briefly served as Minister of Finance in 1962. He established two schools in Minneriya; Central College and the Polonnaruwa Royal Central College.

Crossing over

He soon faced attacks from within his own party and was criticized in parliament by Jaya Pathirana. Citing the Press Take Over Bill which was aimed at taking over its main critic, Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited by the government, on 3 December 1964, C. P. de Silva led thirteen SLFP parliamentarians that included Mahanama Samaraweera, P. P. Wickremasuriya, Wijayabahu Wijayasinha, Edmund Wijesuriya, A. H. de Silva, Indrasena de Zoysa, Chandrasena Munaweera, W. G. M. Albert Silva, S. B. Lenawa, Lakshman de Silva, Dr. Edwin Tillekeratne, Sir Razik Fareed, and Robert Singleton-Salmon crossed over to the opposition. The government of Sirima Bandaranaike lost the throne speech by one vote and a general election was called for in March 1965.

Sri Lanka Freedom Socialist Party

C. P. de Silva formed the Sri Lanka Freedom Socialist Party which in coalition with the United National Party (UNP) contested and won the general elections in 1965. He was appointed Minister of Lands, Irrigation and Power; and the Leader of the House in the new national government of Prime Minister Senanayake. During his tenure, he established the River Valleys Development Board to develop the Udawalawe Project and introduced the Mahaweli Development Authority Act in February 1970 initiating the Mahaweli Development programme. He contested from the Minneriya district from March 1960, and was re-elected in July 1960 and 1965. He lost his seat in the 1970 general elections to Ratna Deshapriya Senanayake, having been a member of parliament for 18 years.

Death

C. P. de Silva died on 9 October 1972. He was a lifelong bachelor. As per his last wishes, his ashes were dispersed in Minneriya. His brother Merril de Silva contested and won from Minneriya in the general elections in 1977.

References

1. ^ C. P. de Silva, advocate of a ‘free society’
2. "Appreciation – C. P. De Silva". Archived from the original on 2020-01-16. Retrieved 2013-08-03.
3. "C. P. de Silva — a victim of 'Back Stabbing'". Island. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
4. ^ Jeyaraj, D.B.S. "How C.P. de Silva Crossed Over With 13 MP's From SLFP Governmenton Dec 3rd 1964". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
5. ^ Jeyaraj, D.B.S. "From housewife to Prime Minister: Sirimavo Bandaranaike's political journey". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
6. Wilson, A. (1968). The Role of the Governor-General in Ceylon. Modern Asian Studies, 2(3), 193-220. doi:10.1017/S0026749X00001748
7. Perera, K.K.S. "The toppling of the Sirimavo Bandaranaike govt. in 1964". Daily News. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
8. Smith, Donald Eugene (8 December 2015). South Asian Politics and Religion. Princeton University Press. ISBN 9781400879083. Retrieved 25 June 2020.

v t e Leaders of the Opposition
Perera S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike Perera C.P de Silva Senanayake Sirimavo Bandaranaike Jayewardene Amirthalingam A. Bandaranaike Sirimavo Bandaranaike Dissanayake Wickremesinghe Wickremanayake Rajapaksa Wickremesinghe N. de Silva Sampanthan Rajapaksa Premadasa

v t e Leaders of the House
Jayatilaka D. S. Senanayake Bandaranaike Kotelawala Jayewardene C.P. de Silva Jayewardene C.P. de Silva M. Senanayake Premadasa Wickremesinghe Mendis Wickremanayake Pathirana Lokubandara Sirisena N.S. de Silva Kiriella Gunawardena Premajayantha Rathnayake

v t e ← Members of the 2nd Parliament of Ceylon (1952 (1952)–1956) →
Speaker: Albert Peries Prime Minister: Dudley Senanayake/John Kotelawala Leader of the Opposition: S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike
Central Province (15)	Bernard Aluwihare M. D. Banda H. E. P. de Mel M. W. R. de Silva Robert Edward Jayatilaka C. A. S. Marikkar E. A. Nugawela T. B. Panabokke H. B. Rambukwella Abeyratne Ratnayaka E. L. Senanayake Fredrick de Silva P. H. C. Silva P. P. Sumanatilaka H. B. Tenne Ukku Banda Unamboowe
Eastern Province (7)	M. M. Ebrahim R. B. Kadramer A. M. Merza M. E. H. Mohamed Ali V. Nalliah N. R. Rajavarothiam S. M. Rasamanickam
Northern Province (9)	V. Kumaraswamy S. Natesan G. G. Ponnambalam T. Ramalingam C. Sittampalam C. Suntharalingam Alfred Thambiayah C. Vanniasingam V. Veerasingam
North Central Province (5)	P. B. Bulankulame C. P. de Silva S. H. Mahadiulwewa T. B. Poholiyadde Maithripala Senanayake
North Western Province (10)	Shirley Corea Ivan Dassanayake Kavisena Herath I. M. R. A. Iriyagolle Hameed Hussain Sheikh Ismail John Kotelawala Albert Peries Richard Gotabhaya Senanayake Tikiri Banda Subasinghe Dingiri Bandara Welagedara
Sabaragamuwa Province (10)	C. E. Attygalle C. R. Beligammana N. H. Keerthiratne A. E. B. Kiriella E. W. Mathew Alexander Francis Molamure N. M. Perera Edmund Samarakkody Dudley Senanayake Harold Weragama
Southern Province (12)	Henry Abeywickrema Wijeyananda Dahanayake Neal de Alwis William de Silva Ian de Zoysa C. A. Dharmapala Charles Edirisuriya Montague Jayawickrama D. A. Rajapaksa V. G. W. Ratnayake Mahanama Samaraweera Doreen Young Wickremasinghe
Uva Province (7)	M. B. Bambarapane Leo Fernando Gladwin Kotelawala J. C. T. Kotelawala S. A. Peeris J. A. Rambukpota E. B. Dimbulane Wilfred A. Ratwatte K. D. Sugathadasa
Western Province (20)	A. N. D. A. Abeysinghe John Amaratunga S. D. Bandaranayake S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike Somaweera Chandrasiri P. Andrew Cooray Razik Fareed Kusumasiri Gunawardena Robert Gunawardena S. de Silva Jayasinghe D. P. Jayasuriya M. D. H. Jayawardena T. F. Jayewardene J. R. Jayewardene M. C. M. Kaleel C. W. W. Kannangara D. C. W. Kannangara Pieter Keuneman Cyril E. S. Perera Wilmot A. Perera
Appointed (6)	R. P. Gaddum Rosslyn Koch J. R. Murray V. R. S. Schokman Robert Singleton-Salmon A. C. Tutein-Nolthenius S. P. Vythilingam

v t e ← Members of the 3rd Parliament of Ceylon (1956 (1956)–1959) →
Speaker: Hameed Hussain Sheikh Ismail Prime Minister: S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike/Wijeyananda Dahanayake Leader of the Opposition: N. M. Perera
Central Province (15)	M. D. Banda M. A. D. Dissanayake K. Hemachandra T. B. Ilangaratne Robert Edward Jayatilaka S. Jinadasa L. S. Jinasena Nimal Karunatilake C. A. S. Marikkar M. B. W. Mediwake R. S. Pelpola Piyasena Tennakoon T. B. Tennekoon Aloysius Weerakoon J. D. Weerasekera
Eastern Province (7)	S. U. Ethirmanasingham M. S. Kariapper Ahmed Hussain Macan Markar M. E. H. Mohamed Ali M. M. Mustapha C. Rajadurai N. R. Rajavarothiam
Northern Province (9)	V. A. Alegacone A. Amirthalingam S. J. V. Chelvanayakam P. Kandiah V. A. Kandiah V. N. Navaratnam G. G. Ponnambalam C. Suntharalingam C. Vanniasingam
North Central Province (5)	C. P. de Silva M. S. Dissanayake Sirimevan Godage E. L. B. Hurulle Maithripala Senanayake
North Western Province (10)	M. A. Adikari Hugh Fernando I. M. R. A. Iriyagolle Hameed Hussain Sheikh Ismail John Kotelawala D. B. Monnekulame W. J. C. Munasinha Richard Gotabhaya Senanayake Tikiri Banda Subasinghe Mudiyanse Tennakoon
Sabaragamuwa Province (10)	C. R. Beligammana Kusumasiri Gunawardena Maithripala Herath D. F. Hettiarachchi M. P. Jothipala P. B. G. Kalugalla V. T. G. Karunaratne Jayaweera Kuruppu N. M. Perera Edmund Samarakkody
Southern Province (12)	Henry Abeywickrema Wijeyananda Dahanayake William de Silva M. P. de Zoysa C. A. Dharmapala D. S. Goonesekera Panini Ilangakoon D. A. Rajapaksa Lakshman Rajapaksa S. W. D. Ratnayake Mahanama Samaraweera S. A. Wickramasinghe
Uva Province (7)	W. P. G. Ariyadasa K. D. Goonaratne Y. G. Jayasinghe J. C. T. Kotelawala S. A. Peeris K. M. P. Rajaratne Kusuma Rajaratne W. G. M. Albert Silva
Western Province (20)	S. D. Bandaranayake S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike Colvin R. de Silva Stanley de Zoysa Razik Fareed Hector Fernando Meryl Fernando Leslie Goonewardene Vivienne Goonewardene Cholomondeley Goonewardene Robert Gunawardena Philip Gunawardena Pieter Keuneman Anil Moonesinghe Sagara Palansuriya Dayasena Pasqual Richard Gotabhaya Senanayake Bernard Soysa M. S. Themis Vimala Wijewardene
Appointed (6)	M. P. Drahaman R. P. Gaddum (O. B. Forbes) Rosslyn Koch J. R. Murray R. S. V. Poulier R. Singleton-Salmon

v t e ← Members of the 4th Parliament of Ceylon (1960 (1960)) →
Speaker: Tikiri Banda Subasinghe Prime Minister: Dudley Senanayake Leader of the Opposition: C. P. de Silva
Central Province (23)	S. S. Abeysundara Bernard Aluwihare K. M. K. Banda M. D. Banda R. R. D. Bandaranayake T. William Fernando Abdul Cader Shahul Hameed T. B. M. Herath T. B. Ilangaratne T. B. Jayasundera D. H. Jayawickrema U. P. Y. Jinadasa Tissa Kapukotuwa C. A. S. Marikkar Chandrasena Munaweera R. S. Pelpola Donald J. Ranaweera E. L. Senanayake R. W. Tennekoon T. B. Tennekoon Aloysius Weerakoon J. D. Weerasekera Noel Wimalasena
Eastern Province (11)	T. Ahambaram M. S. Kariapper M. A. Abdul Majeed M. I. M. Abdul Majeed P. Manicavasagam Ahmed Hussain Macan Markar M. E. H. Mohamed Ali C. Rajadurai N. R. Rajavarothiam S. M. Rasamanickam Wijayabahu Wijayasinha
Northern Province (13)	V. A. Alegacone A. Amirthalingam M. Balasundaram S. J. V. Chelvanayakam V. Dharmalingam Alfred Duraiappah V. A. Kandiah E. M. V. Naganathan V. N. Navaratnam M. Sivasithamparam T. Sivasithamparam A. Sivasunderam K. Thurairatnam
North Central Province (8)	A. H. de Silva C. P. de Silva Sirimevan Godage E. L. B. Hurulle S. B. Lenawa R. B. Ratnamalala Maithripala Senanayake P. M. K. Tennakoon
North Western Province (16)	M. A. Adikari E. M. R. B. Ekanayake Hugh Fernando I. M. R. A. Iriyagolle L. B. Jayasena M. H. M. Naina Marikar D. B. Monnekulame W. J. C. Munasinha Albert Peries A. U. Romanis Stephen Samarakkody A. H. Senanayake Richard Gotabhaya Senanayake Tikiri Banda Subasinghe Mudiyanse Tennakoon R. B. Tennekoon
Sabaragamuwa Province (17)	M. L. M. Aboosally P. B. Bandaranayake D. F. Hettiarachchi P. B. G. Kalugalla Wimala Kannangara Asoka Karunaratne V. T. G. Karunaratne W. A. Karunasena A. E. B. Kiriella Cyril Mathew N. M. Perera Abeyratne Pilapitiya Clifford Ratwatte Dudley Senanayake H. G. Somabandu H. Weragama Soma Wickremanayake
Southern Province (19)	W. D. S. Abeygoonawardena Matarage Sirisena Amarasiri D. P. Atapattu Neal de Alwis Lakshman de Silva William de Silva M. P. de Zoysa C. A. Dharmapala Prins Gunasekera Montague Jayawickrama P. L. Jinadasa George Rajapaksa Lakshman Rajapaksa Don Roy Rajapakse R. G. Samaranayake Senapala Samarasekera Percy Wickremasinghe S. A. Wickramasinghe Justin Wijayawardhene
Uva Province (10)	W. P. G. Ariyadasa K. Y. M Wijeratne Banda B. H. Bandara J. G. Gunasekera R. M. Gunasekera S. A. Peeris K. M. P. Rajaratne Kusuma Rajaratne C. P. J. Seneviratne W. G. M. Albert Silva
Western Province (35)	Felix Dias Bandaranaike S. D. Bandaranayake Somaweera Chandrasiri M. Ruskin Fernando T. Quintin Fernando Bibile Fonseka Cholomondeley Goonewardene Leslie Goonewardene Philip Gunawardena Robert Gunawardena Percy Jayakodi A. E. Jayasinghe D. Shelton Jayasinghe S. de Silva Jayasinghe Gamini Jayasuriya J. R. Jayewardene M. C. M. Kaleel D. C. W. Kannangara Pieter Keuneman R. B. Lenora Abdul Bakeer Markar Wijayapala Mendis Anil Moonesinghe A. J. Niyathapala James Peter Obeyesekere III Dayasena Pasqual K. E. Perera Paris Perera Ranasinghe Premadasa Edmund Samarawickrema M. P. de Z. Siriwardena Bernard Soysa V. A. Sugathadasa S. K. K. Suriarachchi Ratnasiri Wickremanayake
Appointed (6)	Veloo Annamalay Vernon Jonklaas Mohamed Izadeen Mohamed Robert Singleton-Salmon Savumiamoorthy Thondaman Amaradasa Ratnapala

v t e ← Members of the 5th Parliament of Ceylon (1960 (1960)–1964) →
Speaker: R. S. Pelpola/Hugh Fernando Prime Minister: Sirimavo Bandaranaike Leader of the Opposition: Dudley Senanayake
Central Province (23)	Bernard Aluwihare Alick Aluwihare K. M. K. Banda M. D. Banda L. B. Dassanayake T. William Fernando Abdul Cader Shahul Hameed T. B. M. Herath T. B. Ilangaratne K. Abdul Jabbar T. B. Jayasundera U. P. Y. Jinadasa Tissa Kapukotuwa Chandrasena Munaweera R. S. Pelpola Shelton Ranaraja Abeyratne Ratnayaka E. L. Senanayake D. G. Sirisena R. W. Tennekoon T. B. Tennekoon J. D. Weerasekera U. B. Weerasekera Edmund Wijesuriya
Eastern Province (11)	T. Ahambaram M. E. H. Mohamed Ali M. C. Ahamed A. L. Abdul Majeed M. A. Abdul Majeed M. I. M. Abdul Majeed P. Manicavasagam Ahmed Hussain Macan Markar C. Rajadurai N. R. Rajavarothiam S. M. Manickarajah S. M. Rasamanickam Indrasena de Zoysa
Northern Province (13)	V. A. Alegacone A. Amirthalingam M. Balasundaram S. J. V. Chelvanayakam V. Dharmalingam Alfred Duraiappah V. A. Kandiah V. Navaratnam E. M. V. Naganathan V. N. Navaratnam M. Sivasithamparam T. Sivasithamparam A. Sivasunderam K. Thurairatnam
North Central Province (8)	C. P. de Silva A. H. de Silva Sirimevan Godage K. B. Ratnayake E. L. B. Hurulle S. B. Lenawa R. B. Ratnamalala Maithripala Senanayake P. M. K. Tennakoon
North Western Province (16)	M. A. Adikari M. A. J. Wijesinghe Hugh Fernando S. D. R. Jayaratne L. B. Jayasena M. H. M. Naina Marikar D. B. Monnekulame Jaya Pathirana Albert Peries A. U. Romanis Stephen Samarakkody G. W. Samarasinghe A. H. Senanayake Richard Gotabhaya Senanayake Mudiyanse Tennakoon Kavisena Herath U. B. Wanninayake Leelananda Weerasinghe D. P. Wickremasinghe
Sabaragamuwa Province (17)	M. L. M. Aboosally B. A. P. B. Balasuriya L. de S. A. Gunasekera P. C. Imbulana P. B. G. Kalugalla Asoka Karunaratne V. T. G. Karunaratne W. A. Karunasena Cyril Mathew Stanley Molligoda N. M. Perera Clifford Ratwatte P. R. Ratnayake Dudley Senanayake Dhanapala Weerasekera Soma Wickremanayake P. B. Wijesundara
Southern Province (19)	Albert Kariyawasam Sumanapala Dahanayake Wijeyananda Dahanayake Neal de Alwis Lakshman de Silva M. P. de Zoysa Edwin Tillekeratne H. W. Dissanayake D. S. Goonesekera Montague Jayawickrama Patrick de Silva Kularatne D. A. Rajapaksa George Rajapaksa Lakshman Rajapaksa Don Roy Rajapakse Senapala Samarasekera Mahanama Samaraweera Percy Wickremasinghe S. A. Wickramasinghe P. P. Wickremasuriya
Uva Province (10)	W. P. G. Ariyadasa B. H. Bandara S. B. Ekanayake D. M. Gunasekera J. G. Gunasekera K. M. P. Rajaratne Kusuma Rajaratne Amarananda Ratnayake C. P. J. Seneviratne W. G. M. Albert Silva
Western Province (35)	Felix Dias Bandaranaike S. D. Bandaranayake I. A. Cader Somaweera Chandrasiri Colvin R. de Silva W. Danister de Silva Vivienne Goonewardene Razik Fareed T. Quintin Fernando Meryl Fernando Cholomondeley Goonewardene Leslie Goonewardene Philip Gunawardena Robert Gunawardena Lakshman Jayakody D. Shelton Jayasinghe Gamini Jayasuriya J. R. Jayewardene M. C. M. Kaleel Pieter Keuneman Wijayapala Mendis Anil Moonesinghe James Peter Obeyesekere III Dayasena Pasqual K. D. David Perera Paris Perera R. S. Perera Edmund Samarakkody D. S. Samarasinghe M. P. de Z. Siriwardena Bernard Soysa V. A. Sugathadasa S. K. K. Suriarachchi Stanley Tillekeratne Ratnasiri Wickremanayake Wijayabahu Wijayasinha
Appointed (6)	L. O. Abeyaratne Badi-ud-din Mahmud R. Singleton Salmon Savumiamoorthy Thondaman R. S. V. Poulier M. P. Drahaman Baba Zahiere Lye

v t e ← Members of the 6th Parliament of Ceylon (1965 (1965)–1970) →
Speaker: Albert Peries/Shirley Corea Prime Minister: Dudley Senanayake Leader of the Opposition: Sirimavo Bandaranaike
Central Province (23)	George Abeyagoonasekera S. S. Abeysundara Alick Aluwihare W. M. G. T. Banda M. A. Daniel L. B. Dassanayake Abdul Cader Shahul Hameed T. B. M. Herath C. Karunaratne R. Kulatillake P. G. Muthubanda H. M. Navaratne D. B. Ranatunga D. J. Ranaweera E. L. Senanayake Hemachandra Sirisena T. B. Tennekoon Aloysius Weerakoon R. P. Wijesiri Edmund Wijesuriya Dingiri Banda Wijetunga Noel Wimalasena S. B. Yalegama
Eastern Province (11)	K. W. Devanayagam M. S. Kariapper M. C. Ahamed A. L. Abdul Majeed M. A. Abdul Majeed S. M. Manickarajah M. E. H. Mohamed Ali M. M. Mustapha C. Rajadurai S. M. Rasamanickam Abdul Lathiff Sinnalebbe Senerath Somaratne
Northern Province (13)	V. A. Alegacone A. Amirthalingam S. J. V. Chelvanayakam V. Dharmalingam S. Kathiravelupillai E. M. V. Naganathan V. Navaratnam V. N. Navaratnam G. G. Ponnambalam K. P. Ratnam M. Sivasithamparam T. Sivasithamparam K. Thurairatnam
North Central Province (8)	C. P. de Silva E. L. B. Hurulle S. B. Lenawa R. B. Ratnamalala K. B. Ratnayake Maithripala Senanayake P. M. K. Tennakoon Leelaratne Wijesinghe
North Western Province (16)	M. D. Banda D. M. Tilakaratna Bandara Shirley Corea Herath Ekanayake S. B. Herat I. M. R. A. Iriyagolle M. H. M. Naina Marikar Festus Perera Albert Peries Hugh Fernando R. R. W. Rajapakse Leticia Rajapakse Richard Gotabhaya Senanayake J. L. Sirisena Tikiri Banda Subasinghe Mudiyanse Tennakoon U. B. Wanninayake Dingiri Bandara Welagedara
Sabaragamuwa Province (17)	M. L. M. Aboosally Dhanapala Attygalle C. R. Beligammana D. F. Hettiarachchi P. C. Imbulana P. B. G. Kalugalla Wimala Kannangara Asoka Karunaratne W. A. Karunasena Dharmadasa Wanniarachchi H. Kularatne Nanda Mathew N. M. Perera Abeyratne Pilapitiya Clifford Ratwatte Mallikka Ellawala Ratwatte Dudley Senanayake Dhanapala Weerasekera P. B. Wijesundara
Southern Province (19)	Matarage Sirisena Amarasiri D. P. Atapattu Wijeyananda Dahanayake Neal de Alwis A. D. S. de Silva L. C. de Silva Lakshman de Silva William de Silva Ronnie de Mel Charles Edirisuriya Prins Gunasekera Sirisena Hettige Montague Jayawickrama C. N. Kannangara George Rajapaksa M. H. Saddhasena R. G. Samaranayake Albert Kariyawasam Edwin Tillekeratne B. Y. Tudawe Percy Wickremasinghe S. A. Wickramasinghe
Uva Province (10)	W. P. G. Ariyadasa K. Y. M. Wijeratne Banda Dharmadasa Banda B. H. Bandara J. G. Gunasekera R. M. Appuhamy S. A. Peeris Kusuma Rajaratne Percy Samaraweera C. P. J. Seneviratne Raja Welegama
Western Province (35)	Felix Dias Bandaranaike S. D. Bandaranayake Sirimavo Bandaranaike Falil Caffoor Somaweera Chandrasiri M. Ruskin Fernando T. Quintin Fernando Denzil Fernando Cholomondeley Goonewardene Leslie Goonewardene Philip Gunawardena Lakshman Jayakody D. Shelton Jayasinghe S. de Silva Jayasinghe Gamini Jayasuriya M. D. H. Jayawardena J. R. Jayewardene Pieter Keuneman Abdul Bakeer Markar Wijayapala Mendis M. H. Mohamed Anil Moonesinghe Colvin R. de Silva Mangala Moonesinghe S. Obeyesekera Dayasena Pasqual K. D. David Perera Paris Perera R. S. Perera Ranasinghe Premadasa D. S. Samarasinghe T. B. Ilangaratne M. P. de Z. Siriwardena Bernard Soysa V. A. Sugathadasa S. K. K. Suriarachchi Stanley Tillekeratne Ratnasiri Wickremanayake
Appointed (6)	A. Ratnapala M. T. Mohamed Veloo Annamalay Razik Fareed R. Singleton-Salmon Savumiamoorthy Thondaman Vernon Jonklaas

• Agriculture ministers of Sri Lanka
• Irrigation and Water Resources Management ministers of Sri Lanka
• 1912 births
• 1972 deaths
• Finance ministers of Sri Lanka
• Members of the 2nd Parliament of Ceylon
• Members of the 3rd Parliament of Ceylon
• People from Southern Province, Sri Lanka
• Sinhalese people
• Sri Lankan civil servants
• Alumni of Dharmasoka College
• Alumni of S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia
• Alumni of the Ceylon University College
• Power ministers of Sri Lanka