JR Jayewardene, MP Colombo South who resigned on May 13, 1975, protesting against the extension of the period of Parliament by Sirimavo’s United Front government which won the 1970 General Elections obtaining the two-thirds majority. (Her government passed a new constitution in 1972. Bandaranaike who was in coalition with the two main leftist parties, the LSSP and CP, in the process, extended the life of parliament by 2 years, to continue in office till 1977).
JRJ was sworn-in as the first Executive President elected by the people in 1982. He was elected to a six-year term in October 1982. JR made an unconventional though legal, through the legislature, his decision to call for a Referendum in place of a general election extending the term of Parliament by six years.
The life of the Parliament was due to expire in August 1983 - the government faced the prospect of losing its massive five-sixth majority if general elections were held under the new Proportional Representation system introduced.
He proposed a referendum to lengthen the life of 1977 parliament, which the UNP led by him won comfortably over the extremely unpopular SLFP led government, (obtaining 140 of the 168 seats under first-past-the-post) with its constituents unaffected, thereby allowing the UNP to carry on with its two-thirds majority.
Citing the infamous Naxalite factor, JR told the people that the SLFP was under Naxalites control and they were planning to take over the Armed Forces and carry out a movement of terror. For the Referendum, the government had to pass an amendment to the Constitution (the Fourth) which was later allowed by the seven-Judge bench of the SC on a majority decision. The amendment states: “Unless sooner dissolved, the first Parliament shall continue until August 4, 1989.”
JR also demanded that the UNP MPs sign and handover undated letters of resignation to the President. He claimed that a certain section led by popular film idol Vijaya Kumaratunga (husband of Chandrika) of the SLFP connive to kill him and some leaders of the SLFP immediately after the Presidential election and topple the government in a coup. The President imposed a State of Emergency though there were absolutely no signs of trouble. He maintained a State of Emergency, throughout the process of referendum, thus for the first time an election took place while the nation was under emergency.
The Amendment was passed with 142 votes for and only 4 against. The Referendum was held on December 22, 1982; it was the first and the only national referendum to be held in the island. The election between the Lamp and the Pot was a highly rigged one (Ref. Election Commissioner Chandrananada de Silva’s report on referendum 1982; released in late 1986), votes in favour of the Proposal got 3.1 million [54%] as against the 2.60 [45%] million voted against the idea. The referendum was filled with electoral abuses. In fact, De Silva was made the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence for his impartiality by CBK when she came into power.
MPs punished
Seventeen UNP MPs – who tendered undated letters of resignation were asked to resign based on poor performance in their electorates at the Presidential Election and referendum. On February 10, 1983, their letters of resignation came into effect. They were – Tudor Gunasekera -Mahara, Sumanadasa Abeywickrema of Baddegama, Reginald Wijegunaratna -Mathugama Sepala Akurugoda, P. Sumatiratna -Habaraduwa, Dr. Ranjith Atapattu -Beliatta, P. M. B. Cyril -Tissamaharama, D. G. Albert de Silva -Kamuburupitiya, Pathmin Fonseka -Panadura, T. D. Fransisco -Mulkirigala, Premaratna Gunasekera -Maharagama, Mervyn Kularatna -Eheliyagoda, Harris Wanigasekera -Hakmana, Jinadasa Weerasinghe -Tangalle, V. L. Wijemanne –Kalutara, and Ryter Tillakaratne -Ratgama. They had to face by-elections, some lost while a few of them won.
Let me relate the writer’s own first-hand experience, a ghastly one indeed on the day of Referendum at Ratmalana electorate, where Lalith Athulathmudali was the organiser. A couple of days before the voting, while returning from work with a friend who worked for a state institution coming under Athulathmudali, he suggested we go for organisers meeting at a venue in Ratmalana that Lalith wanted him to participate. Seeing an opportunity to meet the young dynamic politician I obliged.
Addressing a crowd of around 60-70 supporters that included a few notorious characters from Angulana slum area [Gona-Kovila], the astute man inquired from his secretary if the allocation of agents for the polling booths had been covered fully. He was informed of some difficulty in finding suitable men for Attidiya area. Lalith pointed at my friend calling him by his first name and requested him, in his own words, “I say, …why don’t you come with your friend to assist the secretary in filling the vacuum”, he continued looking at me, “Attidiya is a decent place.” I, who never got involved in politics was compelled to engage as my friends were urging me to come along.
Ballots and bullets
The election morning was one of the darkest days in my life, I told a lie to home people, cast my vote against the referendum at our booth and rushed with my friend to Attidiya at around 7.30 am sat with two others after producing the documents to the polling officer. My friend was given a copy of the electoral list of the ward and we had to ensure the name of the claimant is recorded therein.
Voting was far below the average according to veteran observers. Around 8.45 am two men clad in green shirts and caps with Lalith’s badges walked in ignoring the two cops objections, and spoke with the chief state officer inquiring the percentage polled, and walked away to return with a gang of about ten, some openly carrying small arms; a shot was fired in the air.
They ordered the agents of other parties to leave at once. Both of us got up too, mahaththayala inna (gentlemen, you shall stay). They demanded the unmarked fresh ballot papers from the polling officer who was shivering and had no option but to oblige. Some of the books were thrown on our table while they commenced marking a vote for Lamp on the rest requesting us to follow. Two of them separated the ballot papers from the counterfoils and stuffed them into the box using a knife and a foot-ruler returning the last book back to the authorities, and released one more bullet to the open air and rushed back.
Waymba PC election
The SLFP led by CBK in 1999’s infamous Wayamba PC election went a step further and ‘returned’ the drama in style making over 70 percent of polling booths close up by 9 am. Since then gradually things improved for the better.
The voters today are fortunate that 100 percent fairness has been restored in the electoral process, where results are genuine and indicate the wishes of the voter.
Add new comment